A Million Miles
by rockangelice14
Summary: Meika must go west with Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo to stop the reserection of the most powerful demon ever! They just have to survive all the problems thrown their way to do it, including eachother. Sanzo/OC
1. Journey West

I decided that there were not enough Genjyo Sanzo stories for my tastes so I'm making my own. Love it, Hate it, don't care it's still gonna be here. So I'm gonna be going by the anime and then I might go by the manga when it gets to Saiyuki Relode. I will however take creative license with the story and some things will be switched around to my liking.

The main character's image, clothing, and weapon are in my profile just like my other stories.

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters.

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><p>For eight years I traveled from place to place never really finding somewhere that felt right so when I got sick of one village or town I would move on to the next until one day on a cold snowy day I came upon a temple and passed out right there on the steps.<p>

And this is where my journey begins.

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><p>I wake to a beige ceiling and a warm rag on my head, my eyes and head ache as I move them to look more around the room. I was laid out on a futon in the middle of a practically empty room. I pull the rag off my forehead and sit up slowly as not to agitate my poor sore body. "Ugh, what happened?"<p>

"We found you." came a voice from next to me. It was a young short boy with golden eyes and a diadem wrapping around his head Next to him was a blond man with violet eyes who looked to be a priest. "Well actually monkey boy found you and dragged you into the temple without my permission."

I nod and sigh. The last thing I remember is walking through the snow, I can't recall coming to the coming up to the temple or passing out on the stairs at all. "Well thank you for your hospitality, but I shouldn't be here being a woman and all." When I tried to get up, the room spun and then I was on the floor in a coughing fit. "You have a fever and as much as I want you to leave You can't. I would have to live with your death if I kicked you out."

I look blankly at the man and, "Well thank you for your concern."

The boy helps me out by rolling me back onto the futon and covered me. "Don't worry about him, he's just grouchy that the other monks yelled at him for you being here. By the way I'm Goku and that's Sanzo."

"I'm Meika." I looked to the man and noticed the sutra on his shoulders and the cancer stick in his mouth. "A Sanzo that smokes? They can't take your title for that?" I saw the irk mark on his head and smirked at it as he walked out of the room.

What was supposed to be a few days turned to weeks that turned to months that ended up being two year that I stayed at the temple. I stuck around the temple, much to the displeasure of the ohter men, because Sanzo found me "useful' as he said but really I kept Goku out of his hair for a couple hours a day.

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><p>After having a shower and making sure that Goku had one and hadn't eaten the temple, Meika was called into Sanzo's office. It wasn't rare that Sanzo sent her out on little missions when he didn't feel like going, so being called into his office wasn't a 'yell at you because I know I can' moment for them.<p>

The door creaked as Meika slid it open but Sanzo didn't look up, he probably knew it was her already. "Come here." she walked to stand in front of him with her arms folded. "The three aspects have another mission and I need you and the monkey child to come with me. Now normally I would have no qualms about sending you to fend for yourself," That made her shake her head. It's completely true that he would make Meika do it herself but she didn't fight him on it since she kind of owe him. "But I was told that I needed to go with you so there it is."

"What's the mission? And please don't tell me that I have to wear the dress again." Ahh the dress. It was a slutty disgusting dress that Meika had to wear a couple of times with a few criminals that had a thing for hookers and cheap whiskey. She was completely ashamed of that dress and even more ashamed when Goku found it and made a cape out of it. She took it from him and burned it to a crisp. But don't tell Sanzo that.

"No you don't need the dress and I already know you burned it." A sweat drop rolls down the back of her head. "We need to meet up with Hakkai and Gojyo and go to India."

That was all he said. Meika waited for him to at least say something else but got nothing. "Is that it? You're not going to tell me why?"

"Nope." She twitched. "Now go tell Goku."

"I couldn't get a please?"

"Do you want a bullet in your ass?"

Meika rolls her eyes, hands on her hips saying, "You do know that I'm not scared of you or your gun right?"

"JUST GO!" Sanzo yelled sending a wide eyed Meika running out of his office and out into the hallway calling for Goku. He sighed and lit a smoke. "Stubborn woman."

Well Meika eventually found Goku. He was just up in a tree with the other monks surrounding the bottom telling him to get down and not to eat the peaches that were meant as offerings for the Merciful Goddess. She stood behind the crowd of men and watched as they scolded the teenage money boy with a smile on her face, of course she could rely on him to make her day that much brighter. But she knew she had to break up the fun so her monkey wouldn't feel the sting of Sanzo's mighty paper fan.

"Goku. Get down from there before Sanzo beats you with his fan."

"Relax Meika, the bush is loaded, there's plenty to go around, and besides I'm hungry!" he yelled back down.

"Fine. But I will not be held responsible for Sanzo will do to you with fan and/or his foot."

Goku defiantly stuck his tongue out at his mother figure giving her an irk mark. She may love him but that boy could be such a brat when he wants to. Feeling a presence behind her she turned to find the blond Priest standing behind her with his usual blank stare. "What's he doin now." he says in his usually exhausted tone.

"Your companion feels entitled to partake in some of the local produce." says monk number one. Then monk number two with the stupid mustache jumps in, "These are an offering to the Merciful Goddess. Get him down now!"

"A peach is a peach is a peach, get over it." Goku called down

Meika shook my head then kicked the tree making it shake and the little monkey boy had to hold on for dear life. "Don't be a brat! Get down before one of these monks have a heart attack!"

Sanzo started jacking up the first monk saying that Goku wasn't a companion that it was just guilt by association. "Get down Goku. Dinner's over. Let's go."

The Priest and the woman walked side by side away from the crowd. Goku jumped down and started buggin them about goin to a real restaurant. "Where are we going." Goku jumps down and follows Sanzo and Meika who had started to walk away. "Are you taking me to a real restaurant? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

_~And here it comes~ _Meika thinks.

"SHUT UP!" Sanzo yells then smacks the golden eyed boy in the back of the head with his fan. The blue eyed woman just shakes her head and grabs the Priest from causing anymore damage to the young one.

Goku holds his head in agony yelling, "What the hell was that for?"

Sanzo starts stepping on his head. "Just shut up and get changed or I'll do it again. And if you don't do it, I'm leaving you behind."

"How could one as holy as Sanzo," a monk behind the trio started. "Ever consort himself with such an unruly child?"

"And allowing that woman to stay here in such a sacred place. Dishonorable."

Meika turned and glared at the two men speaking while Sanzo looked at them from the corner of his eye. The two men froze from the harsh glares knowing that they had been heard. "Don't talk like we're not here." she said.

"What I allow and don't allow and pick up and throw out is none of your business."

"Pick up?" Goku asked. "What do you mean, like a disease?"

Sanzo quickly turned around and stepped on Goku's head some more since he was still on the ground. "Shut your mouth and move your ass." Goku quikly went to pack so he could get away from Sanzo's rage, which left Sanzo to turn on Meika. "You need to teach him to speak when spoken to."

She just shrugs and walks pass him, he follows her. "He probably can't remember how to since you're always knocking out his brain cells."

They didn't leave until the sun was setting, tinting the sky a golden, pinkish, purplish color, as Meika, Goku and Sanzo walked away from their home at the temple. Sanzo and Meika walked quietly, Goku...

"So are you gonna tell us where were going? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Sanzo once again turned around and smacked the hyper-active boy with his harison. "SHUT UP!"

"This is what I meant." Meika whispered as she kept walking.

"One more sound and I'm going to kill him."

"Well I am curious too." Meika explains, stopping to look back at the two men, "You didn't tell us much of anything."

He walked forward towards the edge of the cliff then looked back at them. Goku looked excited as expected for the hyper monkey, and Meika had a hand on her hip waiting for him to say something. "We're going to look for Hakkai and Gojyo. We find them and go."

"Go where?" Goku asks

He says nothing but we all turn to the setting sun.

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><p>So they ended up camping out when night fell and awoke to continue the journey when the sun rose and walked through the forest to meet up with Hakkai and Gojyo. It was now almost noon and Meika and Sanzo walked in the front while Goku dragged behind them a few feet. Suddenly Goku was sitting on the ground complaining once again that he was hungry.<p>

"Come on Sanzo how long until we get there?" the monkey boy whined from the rock he was sitting on. "Meika! I'm sick of walking and I'm tired of waiting for lunch!" When the two adults didn't respond he continued. "Hey I'm talking to you guys!"

Sanzo turned, fan out, with fury in his eyes. "And we're sick of it!" Meika winced as Sanzo smacked the crap out of Goku. "We'll never get there if you keep taking breaks every five minutes!"

"Gah! Why are you being such a hard ass! Mei help me!"

She sighed not wanting to get in the middle of it but Goku would still end up beaten to death if she didn't, so Meika separated the two of them. "Goku suck it up. Sanzo we do need a break. Ease up on him."

Sanzo just glared at the two of them. "Yeah your a Priest," Goku butted in, "How about a little compassion."

Meika turned to Goku as Sanzo stood back and rubbed his head. "Look kid we all know that it's impossible for you to starve to death."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Yes we do."

"Well instead of turning this into a death march, Sanzo could have had Hakkai come and pick us up in the jeep."

"Shut up and get up." was Sanzo's response along with a foot upside Goku's head. Meika asked if he could at least tell them about his sudden burning desire to meet up with Hakkai and the red perv. "I have to confirm something." Goku asked about what it was. "Yesterday I was summoned to the Temple of the Setting Sun in Chang Ang." He explained to them that a great demon named Gyumaoh was being resurrected by demon and human technology from another time and magic and that the demons were being thrown off by it. Sanzo was told that he needed to travel to India with the people he shared a past with, Goku, Gojyo, Hakkai, and Meika, and put a stop to the resurrection and the demons' madness.

Well that sounds like F-U-N.

Goku sat on the ground with a contemplative look on his face, which actually looked like a constipated look to Meika. "So we book it this India place, where ever that is," he throws up a thumbs up sign along with a little chiby face. "Find out whose messing with magic, make sure this Gyumaoh guy stays dead, you look good for the three heads and the demons go back to being our buddies right? Let's do it."

Meika sweat drops. As much as she loves Goku he has his naive moments from time to time. "It's not as easy as that."

"Meika's right."

Monkey boy just blows them off. "You guys worry to much, relax."

"You don't get it."

"Sounds like a done deal to me. What do you need Hakkai and Gojyo for?"

"Because Monkey Boy-" Sanzo's reply was cut short by the sound of movement in the trees and they were all put on alert. Three demons jumped out from a tree close by causing Goku yell out and summon his Nyoi-bo. He quickly took out the first demon.

The next demon went after Meika. It saw he with no weapon and smirked "_Easy Kill" _it thought. Meika held out her left hand and a long, silver staff appeared in her hand that was just above her height. "Ha! I'm not afraid of a little girl with a stick in her hand!" the demon mocked.

She smirked. "Good." She swung it and the top of the staff glowed blue. The glow got bigger the disappeared and left a giant double sided silver axe. "Then you shouldn't be scared of this." The demon blanched and screamed as the axe was gracefully swung and ended his life.

Sanzo lazily fought the last demon, it slashed at him and the droopy eyed Priest jumped away from it every time. Tired of the chase, he appeared behind the demon. "Watch your back." and karate chopped the big eared demon to the floor. "Freeze."

When the demon turned to Sanzo he was met with a gun in his face. "HA!" he grinned as he looked down the barrel of the little gun in front of him. "Do you really believe that a puny little pistol will have any effect on a demon such as me?"

"Actually no, I don't." the priest cut him off. "But this isn't a puny little pistol. It's a banishing gun." He cocked the gnu which put the fear into the demon on the ground. Though he pleaded the demon was blasted and destroyed. "You know they never listen."

Meika shrugged. "Of course not." Goku jumped down and the trio went back to back. They were surrounded by a circle of demons that just drew closer one step at a time. "So these are friends of Gyumaoh?"

"Took off their limiters and turned to the other side." Sanzo commented.

As the demons got closer the trio stood closer together. "This doesn't look to good." Goku whispers worriedly.

When everything looked pretty much helpless for the outnumbered group, chains came out of nowhere and most of demons were wiped out.

"So things are bad all over." came a familiar voice to them. There on a cliff just above them were Hakkai, Gojyo and Hakuryu. "Looks like Shangra-La is going to hell in a hand basket. But I'm betting you guys know how to get it back."

Goku smiled excitedly. "It's and look Hakkai!"

"Long time no see Goku." Hakkai greeted.

They jumped off the cliff and safely landed on the ground. Gojyo walked up to Meika and threw an arm around her shoulders making her glare at him. "Nice to see you all, even you, you stupid monkey." Meika decided that it would be a smart move to actually get away from the two because Gojyo had pretty much initiated a fight and she didn't want to be caught in the middle of it.

"Listen water wimp why don't you watch your mouth! Huh?" Goku yelled as Gojyo just turned his head away as if he wasn't listening at all, well until he heard the water wimp thing.

Gojyo threw up a fist and yelled, "Hey! You wanna start something? Come on!"

"Ugh! Pee-eww your breath smells like ass."

Sanzo sighs with a hand over his face while Meika pats his back sympathetically. This is the part that he had been dreading, when Gojyo joined the group and the aggravating fights laughed it off though, he didn't really mind them because they usually ended quickly and usually it was because of Sanzo. "How'd you find us?" Sanzo asks.

Hakkai stood in front of Meika and Sanzo with his back to them with his pet white dragon Hakuryu on his shoulder. "The demonic aura is strong. I followed it's scent here." He turned with a serious look on his face. "Unfortunately Gojyo and I have witnessed scenes like what you've just experienced." Gojyo walked up behind Hakkai with the same dire expression. "Goku, Gojyo and I ar the only demons who seem in control."

Another demon came from behind Gojyo and Hakkai, running at them with twin swords in his hands yelling for them to die. Gojyo just smirked and threw his hand into the demons face watching him dissipate like the demons before him. Hakkai sent Hakuryu out of the way as he delt with two other demons that ran up on him. He expertly jumped over them and formed a Chi ball in the air that he let go of once he hit the ground. The two demons that thought he would be so easy were blown into dust. "Man that was great." Goku complimented as he slid up behind Hakkai. "But what the hell was that?"

Hakkai shyly threw a hand behind his head. "Actually that was the first time I've used it. I wasn't sure if I could pull it off." Goku sweat drops with wide eyes. "Ok I kind of copied it from someone else." Goku comments that he just stole it from someone.

Two demons that didn't attack stood behind Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku commenting on how Hakkai wears ear cuffs and Goku wears a band around his head, how their willingly limiting their powers. "You are demons. Are you not?"

Goku rassberries them. "And if we are?" Gojyo demands.

"You are our kind! Why do you fight against us?" One of the demons yell.

"Good question." Goku comments before they go on the attack.

Meika and Sanzo leave the rest of the fighting to them. Sanzo flashbacked to when he was first assigned the other four as his companions. He could understand why he needed Meika, but why the other three? They are demons. The only male Aspect told him that even though they are demons they are also human, it is why they can maintain their sense of self and why they don't give into the dark aura. One of the female Aspects had told him that he had lived long and he should know that all of the scares that Goku, Gojyo, Hakkai, and even Meika and himself carried with them were the very things that connected them all together. Sanzo learned that this rag-tag little group had be brought together because of the Merciful Goddess and he had to confess that the only person that he could ever trust is himself because he had lost his most precious something long ago.

Sanzo was brought back to the fight when a demon crawled towards Goku and took ahold of his leg. "Traitors!" he rasped as he fought for breath. "You would take the side of the powerless and arrogant humans, that is not where you belong. Do not betray your own kind!" He let go of Goku's leg and pointed at the three demons. "Join us and raise your voices with ours! LONG LIVE THE DEMON KINGDOM OF GYUMAOH!"

He was instantly killed when the three men brought their powers together. "Huh. What a load of crap. Taking sides with the humans." Gojyo scoffs.

"From the day I was born to the day I die," Goku says his voice full of determination. "The only side I'm on is mine."

_The eye of the heart._ Sanzo thought to himself. "Goku."

"Huh?"

"Gojyo."

"Yeah?"

"Hakkai."

"Yes."

Sanzo looks to Meika who only looks at him and smiles and turns with him. "We go there!" He points out the setting sun as they stand on a cliff. "To the west.

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><p>Goku: Well that didn't take long! Just a couple of days into our trip and their already sending assassins after us. I hate this job. Oh yeah, and this bunch of freaks is lead by some spider skank, not pretty. Then of course there's the usual dilemma about dinner. Look at him, I hate that dude.<p>

Gojyo: Aww, bite me.

Goku: You wish. Stay tuned for the next episode.


	2. First Game

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters. I forgot to mention in the last chapter that Meika is a Mage which explains why she can produce an axe from energy. She practices in white magic which is benevolent magic (Non threatening) as opposed to black magic.

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><p><strong>A Guide to the Nether World<strong>

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><p><em>And so, to prevent the grand resurrection of the demon Gyumaoh, the most high Merciful Goddess sends Sanzo, Goku, Meika, Hakkai and Gojyo to India, far to the West.<em>

Meika sits silently between Hakkai and Sanzo in the front of the jeep relaxing to the sound of the jeeps engine. She leaned her head against Sanzo with her eyes closed since Hakkai was driving.

In the back sat Goku with his head leaning on his balled up hand, who looked bored out at the empty land that seemed to continue as they drove. The sound of Gojyo next to him, busting open a can of beer and taking a loud sip was the only thing that grabbed his attention away from the landscape. He looks over to see a slightly disgusted face on the red head as he looks down at the beer. "God damn it, this one's hot." Gojyo turns to the monkey and demands that he get him another beer.

For a second Goku looks at him with his hand still holding his hand up like it had been before with his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape before he slid over and got in Gojyo face yelling, "Get your own damn beer, Jerk off!"

Gojyo stared shocked at the boy for a minute, before he too got in Goku's face making him back down a little. "Ok. You're gonna get me another beer or I'm gonna take this can and shove it up your whiney little ass! Ya got that!"

Goku gets back on his knees pushing Gojyo back and yells, "You just try it and see what happens to ya, shit head!"

"Oh yeah?"

"You're just looking for an excuse to touch my ass, aren't ya?"

"Please." Sanzo groans from the passenger's seat as the two idiots in the back seat wake up Meika who groans and buries her head deeper into Sanzo's robes trying to block out the noise.

Gojyo was shocked for a moment before coming back with, "You little fag! Don't project your fantasies on me!"

"That's it! Pull over I'm taking him out!"

Sanzo yells out with a irk mark on his forehead. "Your unrequited love affair is starting to get on my nerves! Get a room!"

Goku and Gojyo are suddenly quiet.

"Good move there Sanzo." Hakkai compliments.

Sanzo smirks. "I thought so, thanks."

Hakkai smiles with his eyes closed. "Oh my, awfully quiet back there. Are you two making out?"

"Shut up Hakkai." Gojyo says flatly.

"Yeah shut up Hakkai." Goku copies.

Meika yawns and looks up at Sanzo. "Are we there yet."

He just sighs and pats her head. Oh how he wished they were there.

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><p>Night had fallen by the time they made it to a town and found hotel. They sat in the hotels restaurant eating, Goku having pretty much ordered everything on the menu. "God, this food is awesome!" He yells. Gojyo reaches onto Goku's plate and takes a piece of chicken. "Hey you H2O asshole get your hands off! It's mine! Give it back!"<p>

Gojyo being the adult that he is decided to play keep away with the chicken. Every time Goku would get close to grabbing it Gojyo would pull it away then put it back in his reach just to pull it away again and talked to him like he was training a dog to beg. Hakkai sat quietly while Meika watched waiting for Sanzo to put an end to it. The hotel owner and his daughter Houmei watched because they didn't know what to do. Sanzo sat with his hand over his face but you could still see the veins popping out of his cheek. He finally had enough of them so he whipped out the fan and popped the two demon males upside the head. "God! Give him his damn chicken and order your own!" he turned on Goku with his fist raised. "And you stop being and ass!"

Houmei smiled at the young boy's distress. "Poor little guy."

"Don't feel sorry for him." Hakkai says, still drinking his tea, bringing her attention to him an Meika.

Meika nods in agreement. "Yeah, he'll bounce back in a moment. He's resilient like that."

Hakkai nods with a smile. "By the way are you the magician in the kitchen?"

When Houmei answers yes, Goku hops away from being yelled at by Sanzo. "Wow!" he exclaims gaining her attention. "You're amazing. I've never eaten this good in my life, ever. I mean it. Thank you."

Houmei shyly brought the try she had been holding up to her face to cover up the fact that she was blushing. "You're... welcome. I'm glad you liked it."

Sanzo being... well Sanzo, butts in with a sarcastic. "Yeah, yeah the food is four stars. How's the demonic clientele acting lately?"

The hotel owner looked at the group from the corner of his eyes. "What's to say? They're scum, always were." His voice was filled with hostility and quiet anger. "One day they started acting like their true nature. Ugly. Killed ten people in our town then disappeared."

_"So, they congregate, attack, then the group leaves." _Sanzo thinks. _"Someone calls them. But to what gathering place? It's like a strong siren that grows louder and they fallow it."_

Sanzo's thoughts were disturbed by something dropping and the loud angry voice of Houmei screaming, "I wish every demon would just disappear!" Her voice shook as she held back her tears, describing all demons as monsters. Her father tried to calm her down but she ended up dropping her tray and running out of the dinning room. Goku stares after her with a look of sadness and longing.

Houmei's father turned to the group and apologized for his daughters behavior and that one of the humans killed was one of her dearest friends. It didn't change Goku's expression.

...

Hakkai, Gojyo, and Sanzo sat at a table in the hotel's closed bar on the second floor. Meika had gone off to find a bathroom and Goku had vanished to who knows where. Gojyo and Sanzo sat while Hakkai stood over them. "Too many crimes." Hakkai starts. "The humans die, the survivors grieve, they grow angry."

Sanzo scoffs. "Who could blame them? They don't know the real reason for what's happening. It justifies their prejudice."

"They're just humans." was Gojyo's reply his attitude just a little resentful. "They're stupid and judgmental."

Hakkai shook his head at Gojyo's attitude. "Their prejudice may not threaten you but Goku and I have to wear these restraints and not everyone in town may look at it as fashion."

"If fashion is what you wanna call it." Meika came walking up the stairs towards the guys eating a cookie, where it came from they had to question. But then again where ever there was something sweet Meika would be there. "They got cookies and cake and junk down stairs." She sits on the table feeding a piece of a cookie to Hakuryu. "I'm shocked that Goku isn't down there tearing the place up."

"Huh. Speaking of him, where is monkey boy?" Gojyo asks. Hakkai turns at the sound of a loud thud that sees Goku chopping wood while Houmei watched. Everyone watched them not being able to hear what they were saying but knowing that Houmei was once again angry and yelling and that Goku was upset. Goku looked up at his friends to see them all staring back at him before he went back to talking to her.

...

A few minutes later Goku went back into the hotel with depression written in his very body. Walking to the stairs not seeing his traveling companions waiting for him at the top.

"Goku." Hakkai startles him into looking up. "You didn't tell her anything did you. I don't know if she'd handle it all that well."

"I hear that." Goku reply's. A throaty laugh from down stairs grabs their attention. There were two women and a man standing at the center of the room with bags around them. "Oh great looks like the carnivals in town."

"Ooohhh yeah." Gojyo says. "I'd like to show those carnival hotties what kind of action is going on under my Big top."

Hakkai blew a whistle from behind his prevy friend, throwing up a timeout sign. "Too much information."

Meika and Sanzo watched the group of carnies quietly. Something didn't seem straight about them. The male in the group turned to stare at them with a smirk planted on his face that seemed taunting. Meika gasped at the dark feeling that poured from his eyes, from his stance, just his very essence screamed evil. Sanzo heard Meika's gasp, she knew that she could since the darkness in people it is part of her powers as a Mage. But he didn't need those powers to tell what this man is.

Goku's voice broke their concentration. "The hotel's booked Preacher man. But I had the foresight to book a couple of vacant singles so you can say thank you now."

"Thank you, now." Sanzo replies sarcastically. "I say we all stick together tonight just incase the local demon contingency get's antsy and decide to go for a midnight snack. And if we do have to stick together tonight, I will need a little me time before bed. Later." He walks away, Goku followed him with a yawn, Gojyo says he couldn't wait and Meika just brushes it off before following.

Hakkai stood back for a second watching his companions go. "Warms my heart to see us getting along. Good times."

* * *

><p>It was later that night while the Sanzo crew slept that the demon freak parade became active. Meika slept soundly, even though Goku's snoring could be heard she had learned to ignore it over the years. She never heard the sound of her door opening but she could hear the footsteps in her room coming closer to her bed and they woke her up, which is never such a good idea.<p>

Sanzo lay on his side facing away from the door in his bed. He wasn't asleep he waited for the moment that a demon came crawling into his room and at the sound of the door opening he knew that his wait was over.

The demon that had alerted Meika earlier came as quietly as he could through the creaking door. He lengthened his nails and licked his lips at the thought of an easy meal since he believed that the Sanzo priest was sleeping. He stood over him hands ready to strike and then he lunged down at his head. But he was stopped by Sanzo grabbing one of his hands. He went to strike him with his free hand but the blond man jumped over him and kicked him in the back when he landed. The demon skid to the floor face down. "Bastard I'll kill you!" he yelled out.

"Don't think so." Sanzo says pointing his gun at the demon. "Pointed ears, the symbol shaped birthmark. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say your blood pumps a bit darker than mine."

"Sanzo!" Meika sounded from the door.

Sanzo didn't even look up at her but kept his eye on the demon. "As you can see I'm fine Meika. I'm assuming you had no problem in your room."

She shrugged making her nightly dirty blond braid bounce on her shoulder. "Asshole woke me up so I put him to sleep."

"Good for you." Sanzo smirked. "Now you. Do you know what this is?" he says waving the gun for a second.

"A banishing gun." The demon says.

"Well, well. Looks like the word is starting to get around. You guys are a little more organized than I thought. Alright well if you know what this is, you know what it can do right?" The demon only grunted in response.

"You've got ten seconds to tell us whose violating the forbidden tenant and whose responsible for this bloody little uprising." Meika says from her place next to Sanzo.

Sanzo actually gave him two seconds before he pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting the floor next to the demons head. "She said ten seconds! That was only two!"

"I suck at math." Sanzo quickly reply's. "Now tell me."

"I swear to the Goddess! I don't know whose behind this! I don't know what you're talking about! I'm just following Kougaiji's orders! I don't know anything!"

Sanzo's eyes widened at the name Kougaiji. He remembered that Kougaiji was supposedly sealed away after his father Gyumaoh and his mother Rasetsunyo in Hounto castle in India. That means that whoever released Kougaiji is the one that started this whole mess. "Who is it?" He asks.

"You sure you wanna waste all this time trying to figure it out?" The demon asked with that same mocking smirk he wore earlier. "By the time you figure it all out your friends would be dead. That is if their not dead already."

As Sanzo was answering the demon on the floor about how the others could take care of themselves the hairs on the back of Meika's neck started to stand up and a chill went up her spine, which to her was a sign that something evil was close by but she didn't see anything other than the demon on the floor in the room. When she looked up at the ceiling she saw the outline of a very large spider over herself and Sanzo. Before she could warn them the spider shot spider webs around her throat making it hard for her to breath and then it turned its webs on Sanzo making his gun fly out of his hand.

...

Gojyo's sleep is disturbed by the sound of knocking at his door, it was hard not to acknowledge. "Go away." He groaned out.

A woman stepped through his door, without permission one might add. "I was hoping for a little warmer welcome." She said still in the doorway. "Got room in that bed for two?"

Gojyo had sat up with his legs thrown over the edge of his bed when he heard the female voice. "Yeah, I think I can fit you in." The sound of glass breaking over in Hakkai's room and a loud thud from further away caught his attention. "It's a little noisy next door."

The woman sat on Gojyo's lap getting in his face to grab his attention again. "Not nearly as noisy as it's gonna be in here. " She put her head on his shoulder and said in his ear. "I can get pretty loud."

"Not a problem." See Gojyo may be a perv but he's smart when the time calls for it. "I gotta ask ya a favor. Can you maybe trim those nails a little bit?" He shocked the woman by grabbing one of her arms, slipping from underneath her and throwing her violently down on the bed. He stood next to the bed, pulling out his smokes and was about to take one.

"How did you know?" she asked. "I was told you'd be to busy trying to get laid to figure out who I was." Yeah, a demon. Didn't see that coming, huh?

"Sweetheart when it comes to my women, I'm picky."

...

Hakkai sat on the edge of his bed with his hand on his chin and his trademark smile on his face. "Well," he says. "That was pretty lame. You did everything but knock over a lamp to let me know you were coming."

Gojyo came running into the doorway asking if Hakkai was ok only to see a demon face down at his feet. "Mine was a little better looking at least."

"Whatever." Hakkai interrupted. "Did you check on Meika, Sanzo and Goku?"

"Goku's next door. We check on him first."

The door to Goku's room went flying off the hinges into the hallway with a demon not too far behind it had them running over with Hakkai asking Goku if he was ok. What they found was Goku laying tiredly upside down on the edge of his bed with his arms and legs crossed over a pillow and some drool dribbling from the corner of his mouth. "Wha- I'm fine." Gojyo looked at him, hair covering his eyes, in shock. "I had the weirdest dream."

"More like... a nightmare my friend."

"He did this in his sleep? That's bullshit." They went to check on Meika but she wasn't in her room. Although there was a demon sticking out of the floor. Yes the demon was upside down with his torso and arms going through a hole in the floor with his butt up in the air. "He woke up Meika." Hakkai and Gojyo said at the same time.

* * *

><p>Sanzo's arms were tied so that he sort of made a cross with his arms a little higher over his head while Meika was tied so that she stood in front of Sanzo, back to chest with him and her hands tied around the back of his head. That same woman that had the throaty laugh stood in front of them with Houmei unconscious under one of her arms. Turns out the woman is a spider demon and it explains the webs.<p>

"I have to tell you, no one has ever escaped from the Dark Spider Clan." The woman said to them. "Not even Priests and magical beings I'm afraid."

_"Black magic. Illusions. I should have seen her coming a mile away. I'm getting lazy." _Meika thought as she and Sanzo attempted to escape their bindings but only amused the demon when they failed to get free.

"Stop struggling and be good kids and I might just let this girl live."

"You hurt her you die." was Sanzo's response.

The crazy spider bitch hit Sanzo in the head making his chin hit the top of Meika's violently. "Such spirit. Seems wasted on a human. Legend has it if you eat a Priest of high virtue you live longer."

Meika's head snapped up hitting Sanzo in the face. "You wanna eat Sanzo? Good luck. His insides are probably black from the chain smoking he does, he would probably kill you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Meika."

"Welcome. ^_^"

"Quiet girl." The demon brought Sanzo's face closer to hers. "To human women you must be quite handsome but to me you're dinner."

Sanzo smirked and Meika felt it on the back of her head, knowing an insult was coming she just had to jump in. "Up close like this you look different." She said.

"Uglier." Sanzo finished pissing off the spider woman once again.

"I'll destroy you!" She yells in anger. "I'll cut you up in such tiny little pieces you wont be able t-"

A blade slicing through Sanzo's binding made her stop talking and watch as he hit the floor because of Meika's weight. He took her arms from around his neck and freed her hands. "I'd rethink the menu honey." came Gojyo's voice from the other side of the room. "That dish is a little sour."

Hakkai steps in too. "I think she's bitten off more than she can chew." Goku just yawned.

Sanzo sat before the group with Meika next to him. "If you were looking for a thank you keep searching." Sanzo says.

"Wasn't really planning on it." Gojyo announces flatly. "Would you like a little help taking her down?"

Sanzo stood now with all his robes on and Meika stood next to him with weapon at the ready. "The more the merrier."

The spider bitch looks at the five in shock not liking her odds but knowing that she still had a bargaining chip. "Go ahead and try it. I'll split your little friend in two before you take a step!" she didn't realize that by ranting and raving she was distracting herself instead of leveling the playing field.

Hakkai swiftly moved behind her causing her attention to shift to him before he grabbed Houmei and expertly tossed the spider woman away. "That sounds like a challenge to me." He then jumped next to Sanzo. "You're too slow lady. Now that you've lost your bargaining chip how bout you surrender and give up."

Well some people don't know how to just back down gracefully because at the snap of her fingers there were more demons in the room and they were ordered to kill the Sanzo group. Goku charged with a battle cry of, "Come on! I'm ready to end this bull shit cause I'm sick of looking at your ugly ass!" before he kills a demon.

"Nice job there monkey boy." Gojyo says as he and Hakkai kill three demons. _"Almost as good as me."_ he thinks.

"This bitch has it coming!" Meika yells turning her staff into an axe and chopping two demons in half. "No one wakes me up damn it!"

Seeing that her numbers were being cut down made the spider woman even more up set. "I'll kill you all one by o-"

The spider bitch was cut off by Sanzo's fist to her face. He stood over her cracking his knuckles. "Well is that it." he asked. "Haven't you had enough?"

She got a creepy look on her face as she looked at them over her shoulder from her place on the floor. "Oh, I'm just getting started."

Meika gasps yelling for Sanzo to get away from the woman as her skin begins to shift, boil and turn grey. "Oh shit." Sanzo groans, grossed out.

"She's changing." Hakkai says.

Goku groans in disgust. "Ew. That's gross."

"Kind of hard to tell which one of her is uglier." Gojyo comments.

"I say equal ugliness." Meika says as they watch the spider woman become a giant grey spider.

Her many giant eyes flashed as she spit out her sticky webs. The thin but strong strings wrapped around their bodies like chains. Goku starts freaking out and flailing all over the place trying to get it off. "Her powers are increasing now that she's changed forms." Sanzo surmised.

Bad luck for everyone, Houmei decides that now is a good time to wake up. "You're awake?" Hakkai, who was still holder her, questioned. "Really bad timing." Once Houmei saw the giant spider that had them wrapped up she let out a shrill scream.

A gun shot went off and a hole was blown through one of the spiders eyes and she relented on her hold of the webs, setting them free. They turn to see Houmei's dad in the door with Sanzo's banishing gun in his gasp.

Houmei went flying into her fathers arms. He passed back Sanzo's weapon. "I think this belongs to you."

"Well I guess I owe you a finders fee then." Sanzo said softly.

"Oh you'll pay!" The spider screamed grabbing everyone's attention. "You'll all pay!"

She looked like she was going for the Sanzo group but she's turned and went after the demons that she had brought with her. Sanzo put his arms up in front of Houmei and told her not to look as the spider ate her comrades but she could still see the horror in the room.

"Oh god! She's eating her friends." Goku says.

Hakkai tells them that she's healing her wound by consuming their powers. She tried to go after Houmei once her wound had healed but was blocked by Goku's weapon. "Stop it! Why do you insist on protect them? They're weak! You are of my kind, we are the same!"

Meika sighed as Houmei gasped. "Goku. She's lying right?"

Goku stuttered out a reply as he kept the spider at bay. "She's kind of on the le vel with this one."

"So she's telling the truth. Liar. You liar. How could you lie to me knowing how I feel!"

"Don't say that Houmei!"

"Stay away from me you monster!" The spider took in Goku's distracted state and flicked him backwards with her leg. Gojyo tried to defend him but was met with the same treatment. She tried once again to go after Houmei and her father but Goku extended his weapon and used it to block her. Blood ran down his forehead as he protected the humans.

"Stop this madness and join forces with me. We can rule the world with Gyumaoh forever!"

"Not interested." Goku says. "And stop looking at them like their different or we're better. We're all the same, all of us. Well except for the little fact that they cook better than I do." When he realized he couldn't hold up much longer he yelled out., "Hey a little help here guys!"

Sanzo spells out the plan. "Hakkai, you help Houmei and her father. Gojyo you help Goku, buy me some time. Meika, you stay and help me." she nods. "A seal. Let's take her down."

"Who are you?" Houmei asks Hakkai. "What are you?"

"Houmei, the demons through out the land aren't doing these things for the thrill of it." Hakkai explains. "Something is making them act this way. Some of them any way. You're young, be careful of blanket judgment."

Meika stood behind Sanzo as he chanted making sure that none of the other demons that lived could get to him. When his chanting was done, Sanzo sent the scriptures at the giant spider and it wrapped around her limbs disabling her.

"Now's your chance man," Gojyo said to Goku. "Go get her."

"It's about time." Goku jumps into the air making his weapon extend before jabbing it into her back for the final blow.

* * *

><p>It's morning and the heroes decide to leave. They figure they've over stayed their welcome and if they did stay too long more demons would be visiting this town in hopes of slaying them.<p>

It's kind of a sad farewell but whatever.

"Leaving so soon?" Houmei's father asks.

They all sat in the jeep, packed and ready to go. "Yes. We've got a long way to go." Hakkai says from the drivers seat.

Goku looks back at the hotel longingly but sighs when he doesn't see what he expected. "I guess Houmei's not coming to see us off."

"Probably not." Sanzo rubs in. "Not after what she saw yesterday."

Goku looks down sadly remembering Houmei's expression when she found out that he was a demon and just wanting to leave but turned to a familiar voice calling his name. Behind him stood Houmei with her head down holding a big bento box wrapped in a pink scarf. "Hey you're here."

"It's not much. Just a little something to say I'm sorry." Houmei says. "Goku, please forgive me if you can. I'm sorry, I was wrong about you. Do you forgive me?"

Goku smiles taking the bento box from Houmei's hands. "Yeah." Houmei looked up in shock that he could just forgive her so easily. "Thank you." before she knew it they were driving away.

"you know what this means." Sanzo asks Hakkai. "They know what our plans are."

"Stop the resurrection and this Kougaiji guy. Seems like we go enemy's being freed and resurrected all over the place."

Sanzo sighs as the arguing of the two in the back keeps getting louder. "I'm sorry I can't concentrate. Not with those two morons in the back."

"I'm trying to ignore them."

"Really? How's that going?"

"Not so good."

"I know how to stop them." Meika chimes in.

Sanzo looks at her curiously while Hakkai just smiles. "Be my guest."

Meika turned around in her seat and glomped Goku who tried not to drop the bento box in shock that he was being hugged for no reason. "Meika! What are you doing?"

"My baby boy! He's all grown up and in love now!" She cuddled his head with her cheek making him be quiet and go red in the face. "And Gojyo's gonna be old and alone forever."

Gojyo glares at her and takes a piece of chicken out of the bento and waved it in Goku's face. "Well at least I'll have chicken."

Meika slapped it out of his hand caught it and shoved it in Goku's mouth. "You leave my baby's chicken alone!"

Gou stuck his tongue out at Gojyo as Meika turned back in her seat triumphantly. "Great job Meika." Sanzo says.

"Why thank you."

"You know, you're a real selfish pain in the ass." Gojyo tells Goku.

Goku just laughs, "Suck it!"

* * *

><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: Ok this is bullshit. There's no meat, there's no fish, we had to bring our own beer! This trip is getting worse and worse. Last time it's a hotel crawling with demons, this time it's a bunch of stuffy Monks. I don't know what's worse, what's in here or what's out there.

Gojyo: Shut up and tell 'em the title.

Goku: His God, My God. Happy?

Gojyo: Delirious.


	3. His God, My God

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters.

"Thinking"

_"Talking"_

* * *

><p><strong>Where the Gods Are<strong>

* * *

><p>The sun was setting slowly over the mountainous regain that the Sanzo crew was trying to get through. They all had to walk the trail since Hakuryu couldn't get through it in his transformed state, much to everyone's displeasure. But the group found an easy way to relieve some of the strain.<p>

"996," Goku counted. "997, 998, 999, 1000!" He drew down the bag he was dragging and the heavy bog on his back as he reached his thousandth step. "Time to throw it down and have one of you guys pick it up the packs."

See Goku had lost a simple child's game and was forced to carry both the bags that they traveled with for one thousand steps. The group of four ahead of him turned to him Blankley and mumbled "Hmm." at the same time. They got in a circle, counted to three, and threw their hands into the middle. Everyone but Goku threw down a fist, which indicated rock, while Goku threw down two fingers which indicated scissors and he once again lost. Goku looked at his two fingers in shock, "This is bullshit!" he yelled. "Next time we're gonna draw straws or something like that!"

Gojyo smiled and laughed as the others stood around the tired boy. "He's gonna carry those packs all the way to India."

"He always throws down scissors." Hakkai says. "You think he'd catch on by now."

Sanzo showed no sympathy for the tired monkey boy. "Pick it up. Let's go."

Goku held his head down in disappointment. "How much further do we have to walk?"

"As long as the path isn't passable by jeep." Meika says.

Hakuryu flies over Goku giving him squeaks of comfort only to have him turn around and start yelling at him. "God you suck!" he yells at the poor little dragon. "Can't you turn into something other than a jeep. You just don't wanna give us a ride!" Goku continues to have his one sided argument with Hakuryu as Gojyo says, "Sanzo, I believe it's time to put your animal and Hakkai's animal in separate cages."

They continued to walk with Goku behind the group being weighed down by bags and Meika wasn't allowed to help him because the boys said that it was his punishment for losing and complaining.

"At this break neck pace, it doesn't look like we're gonna make it out of the mountain range by sunset." And Sanzo was right. They were walking super slow and stopping so often that it felt like they hadn't actually gotten anywhere.

"Alright then," Hakkai starts in. "I suggest accommodations at this little establishment."

In between the mountain and rocks and crap stood a building, a temple to be exact. Three stories high, built traditionally and almost hidden away. The group of five stood at the large red temple doors. Three of them admired it while the two blonds stood unimpressed. "Excuse me!" Hakkai called up trying to get someone's attention in the building. Two bald monks stepped out one the second floor balcony to see who was out there disturbing their peace and found a woman, four men and a dragon.

"What is it that you want?" One of the monks called down.

Hakkai, being the most well spoken, talks for the group. "We're traveling west and it grows dark. We humbly request accommodations. for the night."

"This is a sacred temple." The same monks calls out. "None but the holy and the blessed may enter these doorways or reside within these walls."

Goku looked at the monks angrily. "Shit. What's up with that?"

Sanzo stood back smirking at everyone's anger. "Monks. They're all religious hypocrites." Gojyo mumbles. "Too busy praying to practice what they preach."

"Watch your mouth." Sanzo growls.

Hakkai nods. "Yeah, hold it down."

"Man I'm hungry. Do something!" Goku whines. "Sanzo!"

That was all that the monks had to hear for them to get scared. A Sanzo traveled to their temple! They inch by in fear realizing that they had just yelled at the holiest of earth bound beings. "Forgive us Genjyo Sanzo!" One monk called out. "I will be right down to let you inside."

...

Inside, Sanzo stood before the head monk of the temple while the other four stood behind him. "Priest Sanzo." The head monk starts. "You honor this old temple with your presence, you will be extended every courtesy."

"We are grateful for your welcome." Was Sanzo's quick reply.

Gojyo looks at Hakkai and asks how much of a big shot Sanzo is. Hakkai explains that Sanzo's name isn't really Sanzo, it's a title and there are five scriptures of heaven and earth that are gifted to only Sanzo priests. They are revered as the holiest of all monks. "So the entire baldy consortium has no idea that he's a total dickhead." Gojyo states.

Hakkai smiles nervously. "They're putting us up for the night, shut up."

"You know, Priest Koumyou Sanzo also graced this temple with his presence almost thirteen years ago." The head monk continues. "His majesty was second only to his humility. His presence is still fresh in my memory. If I may say so; you greatly resemble Master Koumyou. I heard news of Master Koumyou's passing, shortly there after. I learned that his favorite student had taken up his mantel. I am pleased for you. Proud of you."

Sanzo opened his eyes. "Your praise is appreciated. It would be dangerous for us to pass these mountains in the dark so we are grateful you're allowing us to stay the night."

The monk standing closest to Sanzo took a step forward. "We would be happy to allow you to stay, it's just..." the monk looks back at the priest's traveling companions.

"Just what?" Hakkai asks.

"It's just that this temple is sacred and our order does not allow outsiders to pass through our doors." The monk continues. "And these three gentlemen seem to be neither devout or contrite. Also we do not allow women to walk these halls."

Gojyo angrily took a step forward. "You'll let the monk stay but you're gonna make us sleep outside on the rocks? I wouldn't stay here if you got on your knees and begged me!"

"Speak for yourself." Hakkai says, stepping forward trying to get Gojyo to calm down.

"You can sleep where you want." Sanzo calls out to the irate redhead.

"I don't wanna sleep on the rocks." Goku mumbles. Hakkai tells Gojyo to remember that the monks are very devout but Gojyo still thinks they're just devout assholes.

One monk asks if the men are his pupils. "No." Sanzo turns to monks and says, "They're my servants."

That sent Goku and Gojyo into a rage making Hakkai hold them both back from beating on Sanzo. "What of the woman?" The head monk demands. "I sense a great power in her."

Meika steps up behind Sanzo so that the monks could get a better look at her. She's had to stay in the temple of Chang-an long enough to know the drill. "I am Priest Sanzo's personal mage sir." she bows politely before straightening herself.

"Lady Meika is a very powerful being and travels with me for extra security." Meika's staff manifest's in her hand, without the axe blades, and the monks stare in awe at the sacred runes engraved into the metal. They could only wonder what power she held.

"Well then. Welcome Priest Sanzo, Lady Meika, and your servants." That just ticked the two angry men off more.

...

The monks sat down to dinner a few minutes later with the Sanzo crew, which ends up being a dinner with a show.

"You even think about touching my plate, I'm gonna cut your hand off." Gojyo tells Goku who was staring at his plate in hunger.

"I'm hungry and you've got plenty."

"You try it you die."

"Will you knock it off." Hakkai jumps in. Sanzo sits with his hand over his face and Meika smiles, happily ignoring them all.

...

Later that night they all sat in the room they are made to share. "Man those monks kick ass in the kitchen." Goku brags.

"If I cooked you anything, I would be offended." Meika says patting her full stomach.

"The accommodations aren't that bad either." Hakkai chimes in.

Gojyo decides he wants to get under Sanzo's skin for when he was earlier called a servant by the priest. "My goodness, how will we ever repay you for your graciousness to include us your highness."

"I'm going to kill you." was Sanzo's quick warning.

A young bald boy cam walking into the room with a tray of tea in his hands. "Have you found everything to your liking?" He sets the tray down on the table in the room before turning around with a smile on his face bigger than when Goku sees free food. "My name is Yo and I have been given the high honor of tending to all your needs. Simply ask and I will provide it for you."

"Dude," Gojyo interrupts. "I'm sure that you can't provide for my needs. Not unless you've got an older sister.

Yo gets aggravated that he would even mention a woman. "You better watch your mouth! Women are strictly forbidden in this temple." Yo looks to Meika who sits blinking her big blue eyes at the boy making him blush. "But you Lady Meika." Meika looks shocked as he grabs her hand and lowers his forehead to the back of it. "Yes, I can feel your white magic going through me as if the gods are touching my very being. This must be why Master Sanzo is so attracted to your powers." Meika's eyes widen at his last statement. Yo drops her hand and turns his devotion to the blond priest, his eyes wide and hands clamping together close to his chin. "Right Master Sanzo."

Sanzo looked at the boy from the corner of his eye and then away. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I have to confess, this is the highest honor ever bestowed upon me Master Sanzo. I have never met a holy man chosen by Buddha himself! It's men like you who are the reason why I have devoted my life to the Buddhist faith. I can not tell you what this moment means to me! I promise you, I will put my heart and soul into making your stay here a pleasant one. If there's anything you need at all, please don't hesitate to call my name, Really!"

Meika tried to hide her smile at young monks speech while the others just stared, speechless. When Yo left and closed the door...

It took three seconds for the silence to be filled the sound of loud male laughter.

"You? Holy man? Ya right!" Goku laughs

"I can not tell you what this means to me, do not hesitate to call my name!" Gojyo mocks.

Hakkai's laughter may have been quieter than the other two but he was still loud. "You know what this means don't you?"

They stop laughing for a second look at Sanzo Blankley and say at the same time. "He doesn't know you very well." Before the laughter began again.

Once they calmed down they turned their attention to Meika. "Hey, why was that kid all starry eyed over you Meika." Goku asks looking past Gojyo to see her.

Gojyo scoffs. "He's probably never seen a woman before. His face was so red I thought he would explode."

"Shut up." Meika growls at him. "Well Goku, to many monks they feel that the white magic that a white mage holds is a gift from the gods and that we were sent to do good for the gods where as they believe the black mage gets their powers by selling their souls to the devil to do their wicked biddinig."

Hakkai nods in agreement. "Yes, now that I think about it, maybe it isn't demon magic that makes the demon's go crazy like the aspects told Sanzo. I believe that maybe those who are trying to wake Gyumaoh have a black mage working for them."

"Maybe. But I would have felt it if someone was using a black magic so immense that it could cause so many demon to go crazy. Just a lot of evil energy."

"Just keep your senses open for it." Sanzo sat at the table with his back to the group reading the paper.

...

Hakuryu lay curled up on Meika's stomach sleeping. Meika sleepily rubs her hand down the white dragons body while the others sat around the table playing Mahjong not even paying attention to all the ciggey butts, bear cans, and miscellaneous garbage. The only reason why she couldn't eat was because...

"Ah! You guys, I'm still hungry and I've got gas like you wouldn't believe! All these beans and vegetables, Bleh!" Goku complained loudly. Meika sleepily dug into the bag next to the bed she was laying on and somehow pulled out a meat bun and threw it at Goku without looking at him. After catching it, it took him two seconds to realize what it was before stuffing it in his mouth. "Awesome! Thanks Meika."

"Just don't whine. Don't chew with your mouth open."

"Their Buddhists so their vegetarians and if you think about farting, I'll kill you." Hakkai warns him.

"His farts would almost be better than all this nasty incense." Gojyo grumbles with a lite cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"I disagree." Even though Meika was now asleep she was still alert enough to hear and respond to what they were saying.

Sanzo speaks with a cigarette between his lips. "Just be like Meika and sleep through and be quiet."

"All right, last piece. Call" Gojyo tells them laying a piece down.

Sanzo squints at Gojyo's tile, "Call." he flips his pieces, "All triple straights."

Yo came waltzing into the room and was shocked to see Priest Sanzo and his servants gambling, smoking, drinking beers! And Priest Sanzo's mage lay sleeping on the bed as if it wasn't happening! "What? What are you all doing?"

The men turned to look at him Blankley. "It's Mahjong." they said together. They turn back to the game and ignore him as he face plants on the ground.

"Damn it"

"So you were waiting for the five of one tile!"

"No smoking! No drinking!" Monks came in to take all the trays, beer and game away. "We are confiscating all of this!" the boy tells them with Gojyo by his side.

"Hm?" the remaining monks stopped at the sound of movement coming from the bed. They blushed a range of different colors as they saw Priest Sanzo's mage laying there; blond hair fanning over a pillow eve spilling over the side of the bed and her bright blue eyes staring tiredly at them. "What's going on?" She put her hand up to her eye and used the knuckle of her index to wipe the corner of her eye. The monks saw a pink sparkling background behind her, this made their heads go completely red as they scurried out of the room muttering prayers under their breath. "What's wrong with them?" She asked the four men and the young boy in the room.

"They were smoking a-and drinking and g-g-gambling! And you Lady Meika!" Yo pointed angrily at her. "You allowed it to happen! You are supposed to keep outsiders from corrupting him and keeping him in a clean sterile environment!"

They all stared Blankley at him then to Meika. "Look I'm not his mother and I am definitely not his wife he can do whatever he wants with whom ever he wants. Besides the last time I tried to get him to clean anything he hit me in the head with a book."

"It was a pamphlet." Sanzo corrected.

"Book, pamphlet, in your hands that crap still hurts."

"Well at least you learn. I beat these idiots over the head on a daily bases and they keep aggravating me."

"How could you say these things?" Yo asked in shock.

"Man"

"Do not 'Man' me! We are in a sacred temple! Act like it! I don't understand how none of you seem to know about the ways of Buddha, it's like all of you are asking for Buddha's retribution to come raining down upon you!"

Sanzo, toss me the comics when your finished with the paper, will ya?" Goku asks him.

Sanzo didn't even look up, "Yeah, sure man. No sweat."

"Hey! Are you guys even listening to me?"

"Uh... No" Poor kid.

Hakkai changes the subject, "Tell me, Has this temple suffered from an unusual demonic activity recently?"

"No, of coarse not. It is said that by the Lord Buddha's protection this temple is warded such worldly things because of our deep devotion has been communicated to the Lord Buddha."

The boy is clearly not thinking, "Oh ya, What are you gonna do if they do attack you? What then mini monk?" Gojyo questions the child.

"That would never happen in a million years but if it did the Merciful Goddess would protect us." he answered his eyes defiant.

Meika shook her head, _More like watch and enjoy the show. Merciful, my ass! Gods, my ass! It's all the same moronic thinking!_

"Right but if she didn't you got guns and shit right?" Goku asks his head propped on his hands.

The boy argued again, "Of course we don't! Killing goes against everything Buddhists stands for!"

"Good god kid your killing me!" Gojyo said exhausted.

Hakkai's face was thoughtful as Hakuryu sat around his shoulders, "Then that's all the more reason we should probably keep the duration of our little visit here short."

"Beef... Pork... Chicken... Fish..." Goku complained.

"Women... Liquor... Smokes..." Gojyo joined him.

Hakkai blows off their complaints, "Okay you both are just pathetic."

"Where's Sanzo?"

"Our little helper came and said the head priest wanted to see him." Hakkai explains.

"This late at night?" Goku thinks aloud.

"They're probably trying to get him to stay longer." Meika adds to sooth his mind.

Hakuryu looks toward the window behind Hakkai and chirps frantically. "What is it?" Hakkai asks him, how he understands it is still a mystery.

They all got serious and ran to the window. When they looked out they could see a protective barrier around the temple, it was shifting and morphing as if it was trying to keep someone out and it was losing. "I think we've got company." Gojyo points out.

Goku looked bored, "No way? another assassin?"

"We'll be lucky if it's just one." Hakkai mentioned

"We should get out there." Meika states before turning for the door.

* * *

><p>Outside in the main hall stood the three giant Buddha sculptures. That room started to shake and a wall on the opposite side of the statues exploded and smoke overcame the room. Once the smoke cleared and demon stood on the rubble that use to be the wall in his evil super villan stance with an axe slung over his shoulder. "Come out, come out where ever you are. Genjyo Sanzo." he taunted lamely. "I have orders from Lord Kougaiji himself. I have come to take your life." He looked around at all the monks staring at him in complete shock. "Oh my. I do so love the taste of tender monk flesh."<p>

"A demon!" One of the monks yells.

"To temple!" Another yells.

They all run away and screaming as the demon goes on the attack. He jumps from the rubble and grabs one of the monks by the head before chopping through him with his axe. Poor Yo could only stand frozen on a wall and watch as his Buddhist brothers was destroyed in front of him.

"Do not panic!" One of the monks finally calmed down long enough to take control of the situation. "Use the signs. Form the signs and chant the scriptures." The monks forms a semi-circle in front of him and began to chant. The demon held his head and yelled in pain, the monks were happy that they were hurting him until he started laughing. "Your chanting is just noise to me."

"No, it's not!" the demon says taking his head out of his hand. The monks look on in shock seeing that he was unaffected. "Your pathetic!" He yelled and brought his axe down, chopping the monk that had started the chanting in half.

Yo was forced to watch as more monks were killed and the chaos ensued. _"Merciful Goddess. Please save us, please. Please!"_

* * *

><p>Sanzo stood before the head monk and his two little kiss ups, oh um, helpers. "Yes? Why did you call me here?"<p>

The head monk stood with a serious look on his face. "Though we do not know your plans, Genjyo Sanzo, we wish to ask you to prolong your stay here at our temple."

"I'm afraid that my journey's urgency makes that impossible."

"For just a month?" One of the other months begged. "Please, a week at least. Surely you can remain a week. Your visitation to this place is a sign that we have been searching for and surely you yourself can feel the hand of the Lord Buddha bringing you here."

When Sanzo says nothing the last monk decided to give it a try. "It would be a great honor to all of us if you would bless us with your wise teachings Genjyo Sanzo."

Sanzo smirked at the desperation that was practically oozing from the monks before him. "Perhaps not. Tell me, did you ask the same request of Koumyou Sanzo when he came here?"

The head priest's face goes from smiling to serious in seconds as he hears the sound of rejection and the question from the Sanzo Priest. "We did, but disappointingly he did not comply with our sincere request."

"I have the feeling that you would not have liked his sermon as much as you think."

"Why would you say that?"

"Of course we would!"

"Perhaps you would like me to deliver the message that Koumyou Sanzo was to polite or forgiving to say." The temple monks stared in shock at the loathing look on Sanzo's face. "That all of you are spoiled and frankly you're a bunch of old farts. There."

"How dare you address me this way?" the head monk asked. Sanzo just stuck his pinky in his ear and ignored them as one of the monks tried to stutter out a response.

Another monk burst into the room slamming the door against the wall. "Great one you must come quickly! A demon has entered the temple and demands that we surrender Genjyo Sanzo and his companions and he vows he will slay us all until they are given to him."

"What?"

* * *

><p>The demon laughs as he causes the leading Buddha statue tilts to its side. "Come on Genjyo Sanzo! I've had my fill of monks and I'm ready to move on to tastier fare!" He turned when he heard the whimpering of Yo who sat on his knees staring in horror at his fallen comrades. "Tell me child, do you have a name selected? The one you will take on in the after-life?" He was about to bring his axe down on the young boy.<p>

"Man this is a letdown." A voice from above him stopped him from killing Yo. "Can't believe this is their second try." It was Gojyo. He, Hakkai, and Goku stood on the statue. "I mean they might of sucked, but at least the first go around was pretty to look at."

"Heh." The demon laughs. "I know you. You're the three demons who have betrayed us! I'm going to enjoy tearing the three of you apart. One at a time or all together. Yes I'll even let you decide the order in which you all die."

The demon laughs like a complete lunatic. "So? Whatta ya think Goku?"

"Seems like an asshole and he's got bad hair." Goku responds. "I say minus twenty points."

"Take off another fifteen. His clothes are lame and he smells."

The demon went from a smiling bragging face to complete shock in just seconds. "How dare you? How dare you mock me?"

"You haven't heard from me yet." A female voice catches his attention and when he turns towards it he's met with a booted foot to the face. Meika had pole vaulted off her staff and kicked the demon in the face away from Yo. She stood in front of the boy with her staff over her shoulder. "You're a drama queen, minus ten. Oh and your axe is pathetic, minus twenty!" She twirled her staff then thrust the bottom onto the ground putting her power into it so that now the giant axe blades were on show. "Mine's bigger than yours."

"You bitch!"

"Ugh dude!" Goku groans. "Bad teeth. Take off another five!"

The demon got angry and threw his axe at the guys. It didn't even get close to hitting anyone, it was just a bit away from Gojyo's head and he didn't even flinch. "Bad aim." He says. "That's another ten." Then he jumps from the statue and knees the demon in the head. While he's flying backwards Goku jumps through the air above him and kicks him in the side of the face.

The demon hit's the ground close to a pile of rubble. "Ok. Well that took no time at all." Goku says.

"Maybe this is his way of making us think he's got us whipped before he brings out the big guns." Hakkai mocks.

The demon stands. "How very perceptive of you." He starts powering up making large chunks of rock float around him before sending them flying at the group.

"Oh please." Hakkai just puts up a shield around the group like it was no big deal. The demon could only watch as Hakkai resisted his attack. "I kind of thought of it when I was taking out that little spider lady the other day." Hakkai pulled his hand from in front of him and into a salute. "Materialize a little Chi make a barrier wall. Not bad, eh?"

"Awesome." Goku says. "Come on dude hook me up with a few tricks like that, will ya?"

"You have to be able to concentrate and that's not really your strong suit."

The demon notices that Hakkai and Goku still wear power limiter and wonders what would happen if they took those chains of magic off. "Let's find out. Why don't I show my demon brethren the true extent of my powers." Meika gagged as the flesh on his sleeveless arm started to elongate and became a blade the same color as his skin with veins at the base.

"So that's why his little ensemble is missing the right sleeve." Hakkai points out

"And I thought it was just a really bad fashion statement." Gojyo says Blankley.

"GAH!" The demon jumped at them arm... blade at the ready. "And that will be the last statement you ever make."

"We'll see about that." Goku's Nyoi-bo appeared in his hand and blocked the blade of the demon. The demon actually push him back to the group. "He's strong. Strong as he smells."

"And that's something coming from you." Goku mocks.

"You'll never win so you can die now or later." Then out of nowhere, Sanzo was in front of his holding his blade before slamming him to the ground.

"And your not all that bright either." Sanzo says. "Take away another forty-five."

"With that many points he's definitely out of the game." Hakkai states with his ever present smile on his face.

Gojyo came over and stood with his arm on Sanzo's shoulder, making Sanzo glare at him from the corner of his eye. "You know your penchant for dramatic entrances is getting kind of obvious. I could have taken care of him all by myself thank you very much."

"Of this I'm sure." Sanzo says, pushing Gojyo's arm off his shoulder. The demon sat up with his hand over his mouth in pain. "If you're an example of the caliber of assassin they're sending, this Lord Kougaiji of yours, well he must painfully under estimate our potential. What is the real purpose of the experiments to revive Gyumaoh? Tell me who is behind all of this"

The demon smirks arrogantly from his place on the ground. "You stink of human blood, just like that girl. How many people's blood have you been splattered with? You shame your own faith."

"For that I'm taking another twenty. That's it, game over." The demon just couldn't get over the fact that he was a loser and that he had lost, so as a last resort he tried to attack Sanzo. But the priest started to chant from the Maken Tenjou from around his neck. The scripture wrapped around the demon containing him in the air. "You only get one continue." Sanzo says before shooting the demon and finally demolishing him.

Hakkai knelt down close to Yo who stared almost empty at the scene before him. "So there you are. Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

"Who," Yo stuttered. "Who are you people?" They all stood quietly knowing what was to come from the young boy. "I heard him say you've been splattered by the blood of many! If you've killed so many, how are you better than any demon?"

"Look you stupid little jerk! If we hadn't have stopped him he would have eaten your happy ass too!" Goku yells at him. Though his words and tone of voice are incorrect he is trying to make Yo see the truth, that they are forced by the demons that they have to destroy.

"We don't want to kill," Meika rewords Goku's earlier statement. "But the demons leave us little choice."

"You always have a choice! The act of taking a life no matter whose life it is, is blasphemy against the teaching of Buddha!"

"Tell me." Sanzo stands before Yo with hooded eyes. "Do you really believe what you're saying? Do you still mean that after you've just witnessed the slaughter of your own brothers?" Yo looks away, knowing that what was being said was true. Sanzo looks to him. "If you want to be close to the Gods so badly then maybe you should join them. Everyone becomes closer to Buddha when they stop breathing, it's harder to be close when you still are."

Yo fell to his knees, feeling defeated. "You're right."

Gojyo pulls a cigarette out of his pack and says, "You're alive. Think about that kid." Yo watched as the sun rose behind all of them giving them an ethereal glow. "We're all alive for a reason."

Once again the crew stood before the remaining monks but this time for a departure. From the outside of the temple you could hardly tell that anything was wrong but they all knew the truth of the horror that lay inside. They stood silently for a moment before the Sanzo crew turned around to leave in the morning sun.

As they took a few steps away, Yo run up beside Sanzo making them stop. "What is it?" Sanzo asked softly.

"Master." Yo started. "When you and your friends come this way after your journey is over, would you come visit our temple again? Because I... because I'd like really like you to teach me how to play Mahjong if you would, please?

Sanzo smirked down at the boy. "I'd like that very much."

Yo smiled delighted that his hero would do that for him and he could only happily look forward to a time when he could see them all again. He watched them, praying safety for them on their journey, as they walked away from the temple and out of his life...

For now.

* * *

><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: So Meika's off doing her own thing, that just leaves me and the guys. Well actually it's the guys thinking about what the hell she would be doing all by herself. Me? I just want her to bring me back a snack. So along her way Meika makes a friend and not of the human kind either. Huh? No it's not a demon! What are you guys crazy?

Gojyo: Hey you're holding us up Monkey boy.

Goku: Ah, shut up. Stay tuned for, 'Out on a Breeze.' Hey, Meika bring me back some pot stickers!

Gojyo: Greedy.


	4. Out on A Breeze

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy characters. So I don't like episode four of the Saiyuki series so I decided to skip it and do something different with this chapter but I will continue off of episode five. So here it is. It's just a short piece so don't be mad.

"Thinking"

_"Talking"_

_**Imagination Sequence**_

* * *

><p><strong>Leave Me Alone<strong>

* * *

><p>"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"<p>

Birds outside the hotel, that the Sanzo crew was staying at, flew away scared. The boys stared wide eyed at Meika as she screamed angrily at them. Why was she angry? Well, she had been trying to meditate, every few months she had to go to the core of her magic and allow herself to become closer to it, but Goku wanted her attention and Gojyo tells him he's not a child and go play by himself they decided to have a fight in her hotel room. Sanzo could hear them through the wall and decided to come into the room to try and shut them up. It only made them louder. Hakkai tried to tell them that Meika needed silence for a while, only to be dragged into the loudness when Gojyo tells him to shut up. So now here we are, Meika yelling her head off and them staring in shock. "All you guys do is fight, bitch and complain! None of you take it into consideration what I want! You expect me to drop everything I'm doing just to please you idiots! Well I'm sick of it!" Meika picks up a ash tray and throws it at the wall watching the glass shatter. "I am leaving! I will come back when **I** feel like it! If you morons need anything from me..." Meika walked out the door and stopped in the hallway, "That's just too damn bad!" And then she was gone.

They blink as they hear her footsteps stomping violently down the hall and then the entrance door to the hotel slamming from three stories down. "Look what you did monkey boy." Gojyo says slapping the boy in the head.

"Me? What did I do?"

"If you hadn't come in here whining about being bored she wouldn't have run off all pissed as hell!"

"No! She wouldn't have run off if your stupid ass hadn't come in here bothering me!"

"It's both your faults!" Hakkai yelled cutting in before another fight could start. "If the both of you would have just left her alone she would be here and probably be done meditating."

"Hakkai's right." Sanzo says lighting a cigarette and blowing out smoke. "If her powers go out of whack and she blows up the village it'll be your fault." He went to flick the ashes in the ash tray but then he remembered that the angry woman had thrown it against a wall. "Hell." Now he had to go get another ash tray. "You assholes sit here and think about what you've done. I'm getting another tray." And Sanzo left to go to the front desk. Hakkai sighed, shaking his head before leaving the room.

* * *

><p>Meika sat next to a creak in the woods surrounding the town they had stopped in for the day. She meditated for a while and finally got her power in balance before lying flat on her back and watching the clouds go by. She could return but she wanted to make them wait, she knows Sanzo won't leave without her. Meika's his last source of sanity, even Hakkai drives him crazy. She listened to the sound of water rushing gently and let her eyes shift closed.<p>

* * *

><p>The guys all sat around a table sitting. Goku was totally bummed that he had pretty much chased his mother figure off. Gojyo couldn't care either way, he expected her to come back in an hour apologizing for going crazy on them. Hakkai made a little lunch for them and some extra for when Meika came back. Sanzo could only hope that the silence would stay.<p>

Hope gets you nowhere.

"I wonder what Meika is doing?" Goku says pushing his food around on his plate.

_"He must be seriously depressed." _Hakkai thought. It's not very common for Goku to not eat anything on his plate... or off a plate. Hakkai remembered that there was a time when a younger Goku tried to eat one of Meika's soap bars. He burped bubbles for a week. "I'm sure she's out in a meadow somewhere picking flowers and thinking of us." The guys looked at him with a sweat drop trying to imagine it.

_**...**_

_**Meika stood, twirling in a flowy white gown stopping every once in a while to pick a particularly beautiful flower. She sang and pranced and danced through a field full of flowers and glowing sunshine. A bird landed on her finger and tweeted sweetly as it was nuzzled against her cheek. "Oh what a glorious day it is, my little friend. I want the world to share in my happiness! Let's treat the town to our song! La-la-la, la-la-la-lee-la."**_

_**...**_

Goku, Sanzo, and Gojyo shivered at the thought of a singing, dancing Meika coming back to them. "I doubt that's what she's doing." Sanzo says.

* * *

><p>It was early noon and Meika slept by the creek peacefully. There was nothing to disturb her, nag her, distract her, and she could live with it.<p>

Meika's eyes opened at the sound of the bushes rustling and a loud cracking noise. She didn't sense any danger but since this journey had started she had learned she could never be too careful. She had her staff on the ready just in case. "Show yourself." The bush rustled and then went still. "I will not tell you again to get out her."

Out of the bush did not come a demon but a dragon. It looked a lot like Hakuryu but it was red and the poor thing had a broken wing! It walked up to Meika with no hesitation and squeaked loudly from the pain. It must have fallen into the bush and caused the break, making the cracking noise that she heard. "You poor little creature." she knelt down and slowly reached for the dragons head. The dragon allowed for her to pet his head seeking the comfort as a way to sooth his pain. "I can help you my darling but I need to touch your wing to heal it." The dragon flinched away when she reached for his wing but somehow knew that he was in good hand and stayed still through the pain as she began to chant. Her hand glowed white and after a couple of minutes the wing was all better. "There you go. Now you can fly away." The dragon didn't move, it just stared at her before climbing onto her lap and curled up snuggly before falling asleep. She smiled before lying back down. "That's cool. You can stay with me for a while." and falling back to sleep herself.

* * *

><p>It was now early afternoon and Meika had not returned yet from her angry storm out that morning. The guys still waited in her room for her to return but in the mean time they played poker. Goku was miserably losing because he was so distracted by his thoughts. What if Meika didn't come back? What if she had, had enough of them and decided to move on with her life? What if... what if she didn't love him anymore? How would he live without his mother? Goku lets out a loud sigh before throwing his cards on the table and slumping in his chair. "I miss Meika."<p>

Gojyo sighed as smoke billowed from his cigarette like a smoke stack. "Tch. I could imagine what she's doing now. Sitting in a dark cave plotting our deaths."

"I could understand why she wants to kill you Gojyo... and maybe you Sanzo." The Priest glared at the green eyed man as he said that, "But why would she want to kill Goku, he's her baby."

"Because I always do this!" Goku yells in frustration. "I always make her stop what she's doing just to spend time with me. I used to think she liked it but... but I guess I was just getting on her nerves."

"She's not angry at you for interrupting her." Sanzo reasons. "It's just that when her powers are out of whack they mess with her emotions."

"So, she's not sick of me?"

"No. But she is sick of Gojyo."

"Hey!" Gojyo yelled felling insulted. "Man that makes you think. What could she do if she got out of control?"

_**...**_

_**The sounds of extremely loud yelling could be heard throughout a town. Meika stood holding a tree over her head, the roots of the tree still had dirt from the place where they were ripped from. "I WILL DESTROY THE WORLD!" When she screamed fire spit from her mouth and her eyes were completely black. People in the village ran screaming for the safety of their homes. Women picking up children and men barricading their doors and windows from the inside.**_

_**"RUN!"**_

_**"SHE'S CRAZY!"**_

_**"I DON'T WANNA DIE!"**_

_**"MOMMY!"**_

_**...**_

The guys just stared at Gojyo. What the hell goes on in his mind? "You're sick dude." Goku says breaking the silence.

"Well it could happen. No one knows that."

"Moron." Sanzo groaned.

"Ya know maybe she stopped and got me food!" Goku states with stars in his eyes and drool coming from the side of his mouth.

_**...**_

_**"Goku would absolutely love this!" Meika says happily. Everything look cruedly drawn, like a child's coloring. In the background there were different types of foods that Goku would like floating around, as she quickly moved from vender to vender saying, "And this, and this, and those, and that, and them." And the venders happily smiled back as she took something from each of them.**_

_**With her arms full of food she walked back to the hotel with a smile on her face.**_

_**...**_

"That could be possible." Hakkai says a sweat drop going down the side of his face.

* * *

><p>The next time Meika awoke it the red dragon was sleeping lightly on her chest with his head lying on her bosom. She smiled and patted the little creatures head, he was just so cute and he had taken away all of her stress from earlier and was more than happy to have him around. <em>"Maybe I should keep the little fella around... is it a fella? Maybe Hakkai would know."<em>

Meika looked up at the sky and saw that it now had to be around evening and soon it would be getting dark which means she would have to get back soon. She decided not to wake up the little dragon and it seemed to like her so she would take it with her. It squeaked sleepily as Meika lifted herself off the ground with her arms cradling him so that he didn't fall to the ground. "Hey, would you like to come and live with me from now on?" The dragons eyes sparkled as he rubbed his head against her cheek and Meika laughed, "I'll take that as a yes. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"What do you think she's doing Sanzo?" Goku asked the blond monk.<p>

Sanzo sat reading the newspaper at the table with a cigarette in her hand. "I think she meditated near water and fell asleep."

"What?" Gojyo says with a scoff. "That doesn't sound like the Meika I know. She's probably losing her mind trying to find a way to apologize."

"I have to sort of agree with Gojyo." Hakkai added in. "That's not much of an imagination you've got going there Sanzo."

"Yeah that was sucky." Goku said.

Sanzo looks at the three from the corner of his eyes and smirks. "I don't have to imagine what she's doing. I know her better than you idiots and I know that she's going to back in 3... 2..."

The door went flying open and in walks Meika. "I'm back." The guys stared between her and Sanzo. "What?"

"Nothing." Hakkai says. He then notices the red dragon in their female companion's arms as it moved its head to check out everyone in the room. "Who's your little friend?"

"Well she fell out a tree and broke her wing so I healed her and decided to bring her back with me. I have named her Akiko. And she is staying so shut up Sanzo." She said glaring at him while he glared back at her. "Anyways from now on we're going to set some ground rules. I want some me time when I want it and I will not be interrupted and you do I will lite you on fire in your sleep." Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku stared scared as she threatened to kill them in their sleep. "That is all."

As she turned to out of the room to go to her own room she was stopped by Goku's voice. "Hey, Meika! Where did you go when you walked out of here?"

She turned back to look at the boy. "I sat by a creak and meditated before I fell asleep there. It's where I Akiko found me."

She finally left uninterrupted. The boys looked to Sanzo who just smirked and read the newspaper.

* * *

><p>Anyone could hear every bit of Goku's snoring through the paper thin walls and Meika was ok with that. Instead of putting a pillow over her head she just rolled over. <em>"I could never give up on these guys, no matter what they do."<em>

And she smiled.

* * *

><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: Well it seems this Kougaiji guy is too chicken shit to come after us himself, so instead he sends this girl to fight us. How lame is that? I mean she's cute and all but does she really think she can take down the five of us? Well she can probably take down Gojyo cause he's lame.

Gojyo: I'm so gonna kick your ass.

Goku: *sarcastic laugh* Yeah. Anyways, check out this next episode. "A Beautiful Assassin"


	5. Pure Assassin

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters. I reposted the first three chapters, the grammar was horrible and I'm sorry I had to subject you all to it… forgive me.

"Thinking"

_"Talking"_

* * *

><p><strong>A Beautiful Assassin<strong>

* * *

><p>The Sanzo crew sat as quietly as the Sanzo crew could in a small tavern in the town they were just passing through. Sanzo had decided that it would be best to just stop for food and keep going since they seemed to just get delayed every time they stay somewhere. Meika watched the happy-go-lucky waitress, Yaone as the tavern keep had called her, with her bright pink dress and her long violet hair as she bustled around the place. Something seemed strange about her but Meika just chopped it up to being overly happy. She then looked to Hakkai who just smiled at nothing and sweat dropped. <em>"Talk about overly happy."<em>

The sound of a shrill shriek from across the tavern grabbed the group's attention. A man at a table had grabbed the waitresses but which caused her to yell out. Yaone turned and slapped the man's hand and he just grinned. "That is not on the menu." She says through gritted teeth.

"Aw, come on." He says in a mock begging manner. "Look I'm a really big tipper." He wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her closer to him and then like magic an ash tray goes flying and nails him in the head. He turns around in the direction the ash tray had come from with his hand on the sure to be forming bump on his head. "Hey! What the hell did you do that for? Who did it? Did you see? Who did it, who threw the damn ash tray?"

The waitress looked from where the ash tray had landed to the table right across from it. At that table sat Meika, Sanzo, Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo all sitting and looking at menus as if nothing had happened. _"There they are."_

"Okay miss!" Goku yelled across the room. "We're ready to order now. "

"Yeah, I'll be right there."

Once the waitress got close, Goku and Gojyo started talking over each other trying to order until Meika broke in when Goku said chili. "Oh hell no, Goku! You are not getting anything with chili in it."

"But why not Meika?" He whined.

"Because the last time you had chili, you farted and almost blew Hakkai's eyebrows off."

"They grew back!" Goku said positively.

Meika pointed to Hakkai's eyebrows. "Yeah, unevenly!"

To stop the argument Yaone decided to smile and cut in. "Hey, can I recommend the Blue Plate Special?"

"Sure. We'll have one of those. " Gojyo decides. He holds up a cigarette and says, "And an ash tray."

* * *

><p>"So what do you think?" Sanzo asks.<p>

"About what?" Gojyo asks back. "What are you talking about?"

"It's been over a month since we left Chang'an. Iced as many demons as there are stars in the sky and almost all of them assassins sent by Gyumaoh's number one son Kougaiji. You know demons, their about as fond of taking orders as Goku is fond of you. Yet the demons seem willing to follow Kougaiji to their own graves."

"Just don't get sloppy or distracted. They'll keep coming, all the way till we get there."

"I'm not so concerned about why the follow Kougaiji," Hakkai adds in, "What I wanna know is who Kougaiji is taking orders from."

"Here it is," Yaone's voice cut the conversation short as she stood over the table with trays of food on both arms. "You're gonna love it, it's to die for."

They sat quietly for a second before Goku jumped up screaming, "Yeah!" making the rest of the group drop their heads.

Gojyo was the first to sit up after Goku's outburst. "This looks like this is the whole menu. You think we ordered enough food?"

"For Goku I wouldn't bet on it." Hakkai says.

The food looked really god and Goku was fixing himself a plate before anyone else could say anything. "Alright, let's eat. I'm starving to death."

The sound of Yaone's startled yell caught there attention. Before their table stood the guy who had grabbed her earlier and his drunken buddies. The black haired male of the drunks held Yaone's arm up in a tight grip while the blond drunk stood behind him and the drunk that got hit with the ash tray stood beside the black haired male. "You're right man, I think this service could be much better here." The man holding her arm said to his two friends.

"Stop! Let go I got tables to wait on!"

Hakkai stood up and grabbed the man that was holding Yaone and twisted his arm making him let go and scream out in pain. "You don't like the service here; maybe you should order something else."

"Buddy you just better let him go. Nice and easy."

"Shut up or I'm gonna nail you with another ash tray." Gojyo raised a finger and poked himself in the forehead. "Right here. Bang."

The guy he had hit earlier gets mad, now knowing who it was that had hit him in the head with a damn metal ash tray. The man said something that was hard to understand before kicking over the group's table. "Oh, thanks a lot. Jerk." Yaone says knowing she would have to clean it all up.

Goku falls to the ground on his hands and knees crying over the food that had been knocked to the floor before he could even get a bite of it. Poor, sad Goku. He stands up looking at the man that knocked over the table with tears in the corners of his eyes. "You! What kind of monster are you!"

"I believe feel a food fight coming on." Gojyo says.

"Loser picks up the check." Sanzo says.

Meika sighs shaking her head. "We can't even make it through lunch."

"What did you expect?" Hakkai chuckles.

"Bring it on little brat." The man yells, "I'll kick your ass!"

"Oh yeah?" Goku yells in anger.

"GET 'EM!"

Gojyo and Goku started beating up any man who even came close to them while Sanzo sat and Hakkai and Meika stood and watched. "I find it mildly disconcerting that they're fighting the very same people we are trying to protect." Sanzo says from his seat.

"No one said we had to protect the humans from Gojyo and Goku, especially not drunken assholes." Meika says.

"I'm not getting stuck with the check again." Hakkai says flatly.

Suddenly this random guy comes running up to the three demanding to know if they were friends with the fighting two and they get off their asses and fight too. He tried to punch Sanzo but he tilts his head to the side then kicked the man in the leg, sending him to the ground like a sack of potatoes. "Face flat on the floor. I think these boys have had quit enough to drink, don't you?"

"We're just getting this party started." Two random drunks say simultaneously. "So let's do this." As the rest of the group got dragged into the fight the Tavern owner begged for them to stop fighting but all he could do was watch his business be destroyed.

Yaone sat sadly on the floor throughout the fight, looking conflicted. "I'm sorry about all of this." A voice from behind her said. She turned around to see the green eyed male of the group standing with a blush of slight embarrassment on his face. "I know sometimes our methods can be extreme."

"It's not that—" Yaone was cut off by a man trying to surprise Hakkai with a fist to the face but he himself was surprised by Hakkai grabbing his arm and flinging him over his shoulder like he weighed nothing.

"We're just trying to save a pretty lady from an ugly thing." He winked causing her to blush. Yeah, Hakkai's cool like that.

Meika sent a flying kick into some guys face and sent him through a window. "She's hot we get it, now stop kissing up and kick some ass, Hakkai."

It just seemed like no matter how many times they got knocked down, the stupid human men would just get up and go back for more. Guess they just got a high threshold for pain since they're drunk. Gojyo kicked ash tray guy into a table but he just got back up. "Ah, so you want some more?" Gojyo asked mockingly. "Okay then… come on."

Ash tray guy smirked wiping a little blood from the corner of his mouth. "You asshole. You won't be nearly as cocking when my friends and I get through with you."

As he spoke a green fog started to waft through the room making everyone stop. _"It's medicine." _Meika thought. "Don't breathe in!" She yelled but it was too late. It had already got into everyone's systems and was taking affect. Everyone started feeling the effects of the medicine in the air. Their eyes started to burn and then suddenly they would drop like flies.

Hakkai saw Gojyo start to sway, "Gojyo!" He turned and caught him. "Oh no you don't man." He yelled out for Sanzo and Goku but they were already on the floor. Meika had used her scarf to cover her nose but she was already effected, her powers tried to fight it off as long as they could.

"He's still breathing right?" Meika asked.

"Yeah, so he's not dead."

"No. He's not." Meika and Hakkai looked up to see Yaone standing there. The medicine was coming from her hands. "It's just sleeping powder. We don't want to be dragging outsiders to our private affair. I'm sure you agree."

"You did this! It was you!" Hakkai yelled in anger.

Yaone smirks. "And you, you both shouldn't have held your breath." She reached for the gold bracelet around her wrist. "You know I was hoping that you would sleep through this, but… oh well." She cracked the bracelet and it started to glow, then she started to glow.

"Her bracelet is a power limiter." Hakkai states now knowing the truth.

"I knew there was something wrong with her." Meika says before her powers crapped out on her and she passed out on top of Gojyo.

Hakkai couldn't really see her over the glow so he was shocked when her pink dress came flying at his face. He moved in time not to get stabbed in the face by Yaone's spear but not fast enough not to get a scratch on the cheek. "You're an assassin. You're a demon sent by Kougaiji."

"You must be the smart one of the group." She said with a hint of taunting in her voice. She stood before him in different clothes holding a spear, her pointed demon ears as clear as day. "My name is Yaone. I kind of figured you might want to know my name, because I'm going to kill you, traitor. You're going to wish you had fallen asleep."

Hakkai and Yaone stood with lots of space between them, tables and people scattered all over the tavern floor. "Why are you doing this?"

"I was wrong." Yaone looked angrily at Hakkai. "You're not the smart one. En garde!" Yaone went on the attack, swinging her spear skillfully at Hakkai who jumped and dodged trying not to get hit. Hakkai jumped into the doorway. "Stay still!" She yelled and pushed the blunt end of her spear into his stomach sending him flying into the tavern door and then outside. "Just die!" When Yaone went to make the final blow Hakkai jumped over and behind her, taking her off guard, before grabbing her spear and yanking it from her hand, sending Yaone to the ground.

"Stop. You don't wanna kill me." Hakkai tried to reason. Yaone was beyond reasoning though as she threw little circular bombs at his feet. "Maybe she does." Hakkai says to himself. She threw more bombs at him but he blocked it with his Chi Shield.

"Shit, he's got powers." She whispered to herself.

"Will you please stop this?" He begged.

…

Inside the tavern, the medicine had started to wear off. Goku was the first to awaken and see his comrades on the ground, knocked out. "Sanzo… Gojyo, Meika wake up."

Gojyo was the next to wake up. Not feeling Meika's weight on his body he sat up and sent her to the floor next to him. "Oh man." He groaned putting his hand to his aching head.

"Where's Hakkai?" Sanzo says his voice in a low whisper. "Why is Hakkai not here?"

"The waitress," They turned to the sound of Meika's voice from next to Gojyo. "The waitress is a demon. Kougaiji's assassin. Hakkai… he's outside fighting her."

…

Outside Hakkai and Yaone stood once again in a face off. No one made of move for a few seconds. "Why," She asked. "Why won't you just die?"

She held up her hand, and in it was a slim cylinder with a red button on top. Hakkai knew exactly what it was. A detonator. "Aw shit."

"I want you to know that you're the one who forced it to turn out this way. When I blow up the tavern all that blood is going to be on your hands." Hakkai gasps in shock. "I'm sorry about this, I really am." She closed her eyes tightly and pushed her thumb down on the button.

Nothing happened.

She looked wide eyed at the button as she continued to push it over and over and over and still nothing happened. Hakkai chuckled holding a multiple pipe bomb in his hand. "Ehhh… that would be my doing. My bad. I just saw this bomb laying around and decided to defuse it before someone got hurt." Yaone sighed falling to the ground in sadness knowing that she had failed her mission. Hakkai knelt in front of her. "I'm sorry, I really mean that." He said comfortingly. "I'm really sorry, I wish none of this had to happen."

When Hakkai put his hand out in an offering to help her up she viciously slapped it away. "Don't touch me!"

Hakkai pulled his hand back feeling the sting of her slap. "I thought you were hurt." He explained giving her a reason for his actions.

"God don't make it worse!" Yaone's tears fell to the ground, quickly soaking into the earth. "Don't help me. Kill me or he will." She screamed, stood up and pulled a hidden blade from its sheath. "And he has every right to do so. I'm worthless!" Hakkai took a slow step forward yelling for her not to do it. "Get back! I'm sorry Kougaiji; I wasn't able to repay you. I'm so sorry." She raised the knife slowly with the blade pointed towards herself.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Goku yells running out of the tavern. The others except Meika had followed him out. She stayed to make sure that the medicine hadn't killed any of the drunken humans.

Hakkai froze but recovered seconds later. "STOP!" he yelled before multiple streams of fire went flying around him. When they went away, he looked up to see Yaone being carried by a man who landed on the roof of the tavern. He held the knife in his hand so hard that it dug into the skin causing him to bleed. The Sanzo crew knew instantly who this red haired dark skinned demon was.

Kougaiji.

"So this is the Sanzo party?" He looked them over and scoffed. "Not impressed."

"Me neither." Gojyo says.

"I've come to claim my associate, that's all." Kougaiji yelled down. He put Yaone down on her feet. "I have the feeling we'll be seeing each other again. I suggest you try staying alive until then. If you can."

Goku smirked liking the challenge that this guy seemed to be presenting to them. "Don't go." He allowed for his Nyoi-bo to form in his hand. "Stick around a while."

Kougaiji wanted no part of Goku's plan to fight and sent flames spiraling from his hand towards the monkey boy and Goku was slammed to the ground. When the flames went toward the other three males, a blue stream came from nowhere and extinguished the flames. Kougaiji looked over to see a blond blue eyed woman walking toward the Sanzo group with her hand glowing a sea blue color and a smirk on her face. "If anybody is gonna light these morons on fire it's gonna be me. So step back Prince boy," She pointed a glowing finger at him. "Cause I'll shut you down every time."

Kougaiji smirked. A human girl with a power to stop his magic in its tracks? _"Intriguing. She's more powerful than I was told." _He thought. Gojyo decided not to be left out and sent his weapon's crescent blade flying at the demon Prince. But Kougaiji stopped the blade between just two of his fingers. "Stop it, it's embarrassing."

"Damn it." Gojyo says lightly between his teeth, a slight shock to his voice. "I hate this guy."

"And before you try anything." Kougaiji sent his flames at Hakkai who put up a Chi barrier that he struggled to keep up.

"That's enough." Sanzo put his gun to Kougaiji's head and cocked it. How he had climbed up onto the roof in the first place was a mystery.

But Kougaiji wasn't even fazed by it. "How nice of you to come up here and join us."

"Yeah well, I'm all about service. You know what's pressing up against the back of your head, right?"

"Yeah, I know what it is Priest." The Demon Prince chuckled mockingly.

"I've got a few questions, your highness." Sanzo says with just as much mocking in his voice.

"I bet you do and believe me I have all your answers. But if you want them you're gonna have to take them and that can make things messy. You know, you've all been pretty lucky so far. But you and your little friends might wanna ask yourselves a question. Namely: how long you think that luck is gonna last."

Sanzo didn't want to hear any of the man's crap. "Look hair-do, I'm in a bad mood so if you could just cut to the chase I would appreciate it."

"Let the chase begin." He then looked down to Meika. "You, girl, I will meet again." And then he and Yaone vanished from the roof leaving Sanzo alone.

"God damn it." He says. _"I should have just shot him."_

Hakkai walks up to Goku who hadn't gotten up from the spot that he had fallen in. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Goku?"

"He's powerful." Was the first thing the boy said. He shocked the heck out of Hakkai when he jumped up and threw his fist in the air. "He's super powerful! Oh, shit this kick's ass!"

"He's smiling." Sanzo mumbles.

Gojyo smirks. "Looks like monkey boy's happy to have finally met our little play mate."

"Now we have a face to match the name." Hakkai says with his always present smile.

Meika blocked out whatever else they had to say and stared at the spot that Kougaiji had stood. _"His power… their different that a demon's magic. They seem to be mixed with something. Maybe…"_

"Meika." She turned to Sanzo who had called her name only to be slapped upside the head with his fan.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL YOU CRAPPY PRIEST?"

"YOU'VE GOT THAT DEMON PRINCE ASSHOLE INTERESTED IN YOU!"

"HOW THAT HELL IS THAT MY FAULT?"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST LET US PROTECT OURSELVES!"

"WELL I'M SORRY IF YOU FOUR WERE LOOKING ULTRA PATHETIC NEXT TO HIM! BUT I KNOW NEXT TIME SOMEONE WANTS TO BURN YOU LIKE YOU BURN TOAST I'LL JUST LET HIM! THE THINGS I DO FOR THIS UNGREATFUL JACK ASS AND HE JUST DOESN'T GET IT, WHY I SHOULD'VE JUST LET HIS ASS GET EATEN BY THAT GIANT SPIDER BITCH!" The four men could only watch as Meika stomped away, her feet putting small craters in the ground as she made her way towards and Inn. "GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE! WE'RE STAYING IN TOWN TONIGHT!"

…

That night, Hakkai stood by his open window in his hotel not really looking at or thinking about anything. The sound of footsteps coming closer didn't seem to bother him. "It's cold tonight." Came Sanzo's voice.

Hakkai turned his head back to look at him. "A little." He says lightly then turns to look back out the window. "It is a little. It was cold the night I met you, three years ago." Sanzo had by then walked up to the window and stood with his back to it.

"Three years. I can't believe it's only been three. No offence but it feels like it's been a hell of a lot longer than that."

Hakkai laughs, leaning his elbows on the window sill. "None taken. A lot of shit's happened that make the years seem longer. And to be honest there's a lot of shit I'd just as soon forget.

"Hakkai. If you feel that you have to go take care of some unfinished business I want you to go do what you have to do and don't look back, I mean that. You don't have to go with us, you follow your own path. Just make sure revenge is the path you wanna take.

Hakkai smiles. "I want to be here." He turns his smile to Sanzo. "I don't know where this road is going but I know that I'm meant to be on it. Ya know—"

The sound of a their bedroom door slamming against the wall. "Sanzo! Grab your shit! We're changing rooms." Gojyo, Goku, Meika with Akiko wrapped around her neck stood in the doorway with Meika looking worse for wear. Goku pointed angrily over his shoulder at the red haired male. "Him, he drew pictures on my feet while I was sleeping."

"I couldn't sleep with your snoring. What else was I supposed to do I was bored." Was Gojyo's only reply.

"Do not ever touch my feet. No don't touch any part of me."

"Touch you? Dude I don't even want to be in the same room with you!"

"You're no dream date either violet."

"I could maybe put up with the snoring, but the farting—"

"That's a lie!"

"That's enough!" Sanzo says with his hands balled up. "I'm not changing rooms with anyone so shut up! And if you don't shut up I'll shut you up!"

Gojyo and Goku held each other in fear. "Oh no! We're so scared!"

"They woke me and Akiko. Shoot them Sanzo!" Meika says walking up to Hakkai and wraps her arms around his waist. "And Gojyo tried to feel me up."

"What?" Sanzo groaned out glaring at Gojyo who smiled nervously with his hands up defensively.

"Can I sleep in here with you guys? It's quieter."

Hakkai smirks having made up his mind. "Ok I'll stay. But I reserve the right to walk anytime I see fit."

"Just take me with you." Sanzo groans with his hand gripping his hair as the two idiots started fighting again.

"You can't leave me here either." Meika whined.

"Why don't you ever take a bath!" Goku yelled.

"I take baths." Gojyo defended himself.

"No you don't, I've never seen you do it. And I know why."

"No you don't!"

"Oh, yes I do! You're a water sprite and you're afraid of the water. You can't even swim!"

"SHUT UP!"

"That's so lame! You suck, your really do, you double suck!"

"I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Ladies, ladies please." Hakkai says trying to break up the fight. But it's Goku and Gojyo. There's no stoping that unless you've got a gun.

* * *

><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: I'd love to tell you that as our journey west continues things get easier for us, not the case I'm afraid. And if having to fight pissed off demons wasn't bad enough; we find out we might not even be able to trust our friends. Although... to be honest it's not like we have a lot of those in the frist place. No matter. Just be sure not to miss the next adventure in Saiyuki!


	6. Rancorous Exchange

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters. I reposted the first three chapters, the grammar was horrible and I'm sorry I had to subject you all to it… forgive me.

"Thinking"

_"Talking"_

* * *

><p><strong>Unnatural Talismanic Monk<strong>

* * *

><p>The sky was cloudy and grey as the Sanzo crew was driving through a range of small mountains. Meika sat in the front seat leaning against Sanzo, feeling as though her body was about to fall apart. Ever since they had gotten close to this mountain range her powers had felt an evil presence but she couldn't pin point it because it would go from evil to good and back to evil in no time so she couldn't tell if it was super close or far, far away.<p>

Sanzo sighs. "Shit. It looks like rain."

"There's got to be an Inn around her somewhere. " Gojyo says.

"I've got a thousand yen that says it starts poring before we even find the place. "

"You're on."

Hakkai chuckles from the driver's seat. "That's a sissy bet. Let's put some money on it."

Sanzo slightly turns his head, his face lite by Hakuryu's head lights. "What's wrong Goku? Have to take a piss?"

Goku had been uncharacteristically quiet. He sat in the back behind Sanzo looking around for something. "No. It's just that I smell something weird." A bird flew hurriedly away from the tree it had perched on chirping as it went.

"Yeah." Sanzo whispers. "Something's not right here."

"STOP!"

Hakkai stepped hard on the break making Hakuryu skid across the ground before stopping. Hakuryu's head lights illuminated a bloody wall with demon bodies leading against it or lying on the ground, they were covered in talisman. "What the hell happened here?" Gojyo questioned as they stood before the bodies with Hakuryu illuminating their backs.

"Those talisman." Sanzo mumbled to himself. They looked familiar to him but he couldn't remember where he had seen them before.

* * *

><p>Before they could get to the Inn it had started to pour and the rain came down in sheets and they were all soaking wet. When they got to the Inn it was slightly… crappy on the inside but luckily there were some rooms open, which meant they wouldn't have to share. Hakkai decided that Meika should go to the bed since she was feeling so horribly and after helping her change out of her wet clothes and into something dry he helped her into bed and let her rest while the rest of them just sat around the room with their wet clothes hanging off of random objects. "Looks like I owe you a thousand yen." Hakkai admits to Sanzo knowing that he had lost their earlier bet.<p>

The Inn keeper knocked on the door before walking in without an answer. "Here. I brought everyone some hot tea."

"Over there please." Hakkai directs. She didn't move to put it down for some reason, just stood in the door way not even facing them.

"You're lucky I have a last minute vacancy, ya know?"

"This is a dump." Gojyo mumbles to himself.

"And I thought those demon corpses would be the low point of the evening." Sanzo adds in.

Even though the guys were pretty much bad mouthing her Inn in front of her, the Inn keeper kept a happy smile on her face like it was when she first came in. "Oh that must be Rikudo again."

"Rikudo?"

"Who's that?"

"Whose Rikudo?" She asked in slight shock that they would even ask her that. "You guys must be from the east. We don't know much about him but he's considered a savior around here. Most people say he's a monk that roams the country side slaying demons. Few have ever actually seen him, but those who have say he's seven feet tall with talisman's all over his body capable of killing a hundred demons a pop. Now if you'll excuse me, I have cookies in the oven, I'll bring you some." She finally set down the tea and left the guys to their own devices.

Hakkai was the first to speak after she left. "That explains the talisman we saw on those corpses."

"_Those Talismans," _Sanzo thought with his cheek laying on his hand. _"I've seen them somewhere before." _The image of a monk leaning against a wall flashed before his eyes. _"That man… no. It can't be."_

"So," The sound of Gojyo's talking broke Sanzo from his reprieve. He turned to see Gojyo with his arm out balancing him against the doorway talking to the Inn keeper. "You live here too. Where's your room?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you." The Inn keeper says with a hesitation in her voice.

"That's ok, ever done it in the rain." The Inn keeper stuttered in shock at his blunt come on. The sound of paper flying through the air made Gojyo turn around.

Sanzo's fan was flying towards him and hit him directly. "Shit Gojyo, can't I leave you alone for one minute without you chasing after some tart?"

"Don't take out your sexual frustrations on me cleric!"

"Remember the mess you got us in after your last escapade!"

"What kind of faggot fights with a fan anyway?"

"The kind that can kick your ass!"

Hakkai sat smiling like he usually did when the group started fighting. "It was nice of you to let us stay here for the night." Hakkai says to the Inn keeper over the two men fighting. "And thanks again so much for the wonderful tea, I promise you'll hardly even know we're here at all."

* * *

><p>Sanzo sat on the window sill looking out at the night sky as it poured down rain. <em>"That rain. So familiar…"<em>

"_**Rain is the bringer of life. Yet it becomes dispiriting when it carries on like this, Eh Kouryuu?" Sanzo remembers his late Master Koumyou Sanzo sitting in the temple widow just like he is now as his younger self stood before the man with a cup of tea waiting for him to take. **_

"_**I'm sure it will let up soon Master Sanzo. It always does."**_

"_Kouryuu the river orphan, that's what they called me then." Sanzo remembered his younger self walking down the hall alone._

"_**Here he comes again." One of the monks at the temple had said.**_

"_**His parents cast him in the river the moment he was born. And now he struts around like he thinks he's the star pupil." **_

"_**I don't care how good he is at meditation and martial arts," One of the monks cut in sounding angry. "He'll always be a river rat."**_

"_**Master Sanzo always did have a soft spot for lost causes." Young Kouryuu kept walking with his head down ignoring the words of the monks that he had been hearing for the past thirteen years. **_

"_**Maybe if it rains hard enough we can toss him in the water again. See if he floats."**_

_**The sound of crunching bones and one of the monks yelling 'ow' made Kouryuu turn around to see one of the only monks that didn't hate him hurting the other monk. "Shouldn't you two be attending to your chores instead of chit chatting?" The monk says. He wore his brown hair in a ponytail which defied the rules of temple. "Maybe you guys would like to focus that energy cleaning some of the out houses." The monks ran off to do what they were told by the clerk abbot. **_

"_**You haven't changed, Shuei." **_

"_**Neither have you, River Rat." He said back jokingly.**_

…

"_**So I hear your master Sanzo's star pupil, one of our highest ranking monks and capable of routing a full grown man to boot."**_

"_**You should see the weaklings they put me against."**_

"_**And full of confidence too. No wonder they're all green with envy, not that you should let that bother you. But knowing you, it probably doesn't at all." Kouryuu and Shuei stood against the railing, Shuei had his back to the rain while Kouryuu stared out at it. "Boy am I glad I'm the Clerk Abbot, otherwise I might have to spar against you."**_

"_**Yeah, whatever." Kouryuu chuckles lightly. "Shuei the Talisman user. The man who went directly from apprentice to clerk abbot there's not a monk who doesn't know about you talismanic powers."**_

_**Shuei announced his knowledge of Kouryuu receiving a holy name; it was an honor among monks to receive a holy name given by the Buddha. "Why would you take on a holy name if you have no intention of ever embracing the holy faith?"**_

"_**I reserve all my faith for Master Sanzo." The look in young Kouryuu's eyes at the mention of his mentor, the man he worshiped, his father even—It was a loving determination beyond any that Shuei had ever seen before. "I have no place for gods. Though I cannot believe in deities I do believe in myself. Master Sanzo saved my life taking me in but reason's for embracing him are not so petty. Sanzo is the only person I will ever call Master."**_

_**A balled monk came running up to the two of them screaming that a bear was on a rampage in the compound and that no one could possibly stop it except for Shuei's awesome power. **_

_**The bear stood on his hind legs as it rained, the monks chucked spears at him screaming to aim for its eyes but the bear was unaffected by them and cut one of the priests down. When Shuei was going to use a talisman on the bear, lightning illuminated the dark sky and he saw Kouryuu standing before him. "Be calm," Kouryuu says looking over his shoulder at Shuei. "I can take care of this." He turns back to the bear. "Turn back. There's no food for you here." The bear got angry and raised his arm to slash Kouryuu but once it saw those violet eyes it froze. "Listen to me my friend: Go back and never come back and we, in turn, will never violate your territory. Let us make this promise so that we may coexist. Do you understand?" And as if broken from a trance the bear, still on its hind legs, turned and walked away.**_

_**The other monks stared in shock that he was able to just talk to the creature and turn it away when they couldn't. "The boy's not a river rat, he's a demon," One of the monks whispers in shock to scared of Kouryuu to say it loudly. "Only and evil spirit could have that kind of supernatural power."**_

…

_**Up in the temple Master Koumyou Sanzo watched his student turn the bear away. "Is something wrong Master Sanzo?" A monk asked the man.**_

"_**Nothing that wasn't expected."**_

…

_**Shuei went to tell Kouryuu that Master Sanzo wanted to see him and was shocked by the vision before him. Kouryuu sat in the window, the moon illuminating his making him glow like a beautiful spirit. Kouryuu ended up giving Shuei the rosary that was found on him when Koumyou Sanzo fished him out of the river.**_

"_And so… the tranquility of the night faded, and in the morning we woke to a nightmare."_

"_**MASTER SANZO!"**_

Sanzo sat up from his bed faster than a bolt of lightning covered in sweat breathing like he ran a marathon. _"I haven't thought about that day in years."_

"You have a bad dream." Hakkai's voice came from the shadows of the room.

"Yes."

"I heard you wake up from the next room."

"Sorry." Sanzo says quickly.

"Nah." Was Hakkai's reply. "The rain also gives me a little… trouble sleeping."

"That's what it is then. It's because of the rain."

"Yeah probably." Hakkai turns and looks at Sanzo over his shoulder. "I think I should check on Meika, you should come too and get your mind off of it."

"Sure."

Meika's room was just past Sanzo's so it was just a few steps away. When they opened the door Sanzo stood in shock. Meika lay sleeping with the light of the moon bouncing off her hair making her look like she wore a glowing halo, like he had in his dream. She looked ethereal, untouchable. He walked slowly up to her sleeping body, standing over her for a while before sitting on the edge of the bed. Akiko felt the bed shift and awoke. Upon seeing Sanzo she slithered from Meika's grasp and into Sanzo's lap with a chirp waking Meika with her movements. "Sanzo?" Her voice was raspy from not using it all day.

"Are you feeling any better Meika?" he asked, looking down at her.

"Not really." She sighs sitting up a little watching Hakkai walk into the room and stand over her. "Whatever is throwing off my powers is still around here… or it's not… I can't really tell."

"What's wrong?" Hakkai asks.

"I keeping feeling an evil presence but then seconds later it becomes good and then back to evil. And sometimes it'll feel like its miles away then it will feel so close that it could be next to me. All the sudden shifts are making me nauseous."

"Hopefully it'll stop soon." A loud scream could be heard in the Inn making them look. "It's coming from the kitchen." The three met up with Goku and Gojyo after they put their now dry clothes on and made a break for the kitchen.

"What's the matter?" Gojyo asked the Inn keeper, who was sitting on the floor trembling in fear.

"A demon!"

The group of five watched as the demon as he growled and slurped in the corner of the kitchen then turned to look at them. Goku got angry once he saw that the demon had eaten the cookies that the Inn keeper had made. "Why you bastard... how could you?" He growled. "You ate all the cookies!" He yelled and kneed the demon. Another one came and tried to attack him from behind but when Hakkai warned Goku to look out, Goku turned and kicked him in his back making him fall to the floor.

"I've never seen you so active in the morning." Gojyo says from behind the monkey boy.

Goku smirks at the red one over his shoulder. "I have my days. Kicking demon ass is better than coffee for me."

Meika suddenly dropped to her knees holding her arms out to keep her from falling face first. Talismans came rushing out of nowhere and hit the demons on every part of their bodies. They screamed in pain before their bodies started drying out like dried meat. "That is so disgusting man." Gojyo says watching their bodies smoke and shriveling up.

They could hear someone chanting and Sanzo looked over his shoulder. _"That voice…"_ Sanzo thought. A man in long robes covered in talisman and the traditional Chinese straw hat with a staff over his shoulder stood on the far side of the room chanting.

"Sanzo… it's him… he's the presence."

"Hear my name demons, I am Rikudo and I will rid the earth of every last one of you."

"_I'd recognize those beads anywhere… Shuei."_

* * *

><p>"How can we ever thank you Master Rikudo?" The Inn keeper asked after the demons bodies had completely dissolved. She hadn't even thanked Goku, he did all the work.<p>

"Slaying demons is my only reward." Was Rikudo's answer. His scratchy voice and the malice in it made Meika shiver causing Hakkai to put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"This guy's Rikudo?" Gojyo asked.

Sanzo stared at the back of the man's bald head. _"So, Shuei is the demon slayer. But something's changed in him. It's as if he's suddenly taken on an evil presence. No wonder he's got Meika feeling this way."_

"Well whoever he is, he took care of that problem for us." Gojyo says.

"That's right." Goku yawns as the three demon males turn to leave the kitchen. "Back to bed."

"Wait." Rikudo's voice makes Gojyo look from the corner of his eye. Rikudo stood some distance behind them, as still as a tree. "Some of you are not human."

"What?" Gojyo questioned a little angrily.

"So tell us Mr. Brainstorm, whatever gave you that idea?" Hakkai asked the demon slayer sarcastically.

"I can smell you." Rikudo's fingers curled slightly as he spoke. "I can smell your stench from here." He turns to look at Meika who had broken out in a light sweat. "But you are different girl."

Goku shot back, "You're no bed of roses either pal."

He and Hakkai went on alert when Rikudo brought out a few of his talisman. "You… I made a vow to kill all demon kind."

"I don't think that's very nice." Goku says a little offended. "You could at least get to know us."

Rikudo threw out a lode of talisman but they hit the wall as Goku jumped over him. Rikudo tried to hit the boy with his staff but it was stopped with the back of Sanzo's wrist. "Shuei… Is that how you great a friend?"

It can't be..." Rikudo said stunned.

Sanzo no longer seemed surprised or quiet, "Certainly there's no point in wasting your talent offing these pussies." Meika would have to punch him in the face later.

"Wait, you know him?" Goku asked.

Rikudo became to chuckle before it slowly formed into the laughter of a man gone mad. "Funny, I heard a rumor about a renegade Sanzo priest heading west. Never thought I'd find him and his demon misfits along with a Holy Mage in a place like this. So Kouryuu or should I say Genjyo Sanzo, did you forget that it was vile like this that killed you predecessor? Are our enemies now friends?"

"Well Shuei, if that's still your name, did you forget what it means to be a holy man of faith?" Sanzo countered.

"Shuei didn't forget, Shuei died the day you left the temple 10 years ago..." Rikudo says angrily. Rikudo explained how Sanzo became the monk he is, his fellows accused Sanzo of killing his master while Shuei tried to defend him. Sanzo's reason for leaving the temple was so that he could avenge his master and retrieve his stolen scripture, that was Shuei's last moment before he allowed the talisman to consume him.

"In the morning, you descended the mountain to exact your revenge but that night the demon burglars attack again for the Matan Scripture they failed to cease before, not knowing you had taken them with you! If they could defeat you and Master Sanzo you can image what they did to those defenseless monks." Though the truth was hard for Sanzo to take he had to listen on as Rikudo continues to talk, "I had no choice but to use a forbidden Talisman to cast a curse upon myself and acquire the power to destroy all demons."

"You... you used the spell of Araya?" Sanzo asked stunned.

"Of course, but once cast the spell of Araya can never be reversed and I will never again know mercy..." He moved the right side of his robe to show them the talisman that had attatched itself to his skin making veins pop out from is chest and showing how deeply embedded the talisman had mad itself in his body. It was clear that Shuei was not in control of his body… if Shuei was still in there. "I will only know pain so long as demons walk upon the face of the earth for ten years I have murdered their kind innocent or otherwise but now that demons have started attacking humans. People have begun revering me as some kind of hero." His crazy laughter began as he cackled at his own joke. "Isn't that delicious?" He asked.

"He's just cracking himself up." Goku pointed out.

"I'm gonna throw up." Meika says covering her mouth to keep her nausea down.

"Ya and he calls us demons." Gojyo agreed.

"Shuei, surely you can see the talismans turned into some kind of a monster." Sanzo tried to reason with him. Meika felt horrible for Sanzo. He didn't know what his leaving could have done to his friend. She knew that inside Sanzo was blaming himself for the day his master died, for the day he left the temple to their fate. It had to be tearing him up.

Rikudo didn't feel the same way, "How about I show you… just what kind of monster I am?"

"I... I think it's about time to go." Hakkai suggested wanting to avoid the fight.

Goku didn't seem to pick up on that, "But it's raining."

"Ya, ya and your point is?" Gojyo said as they all ran to make it outside before Rikudo could attack.

One step outside and the rain drenched them. They ran as fast as they could in the pouring rain trying to get away from Rikudo, even with their clothes holding them down.

"God this rain sucks!" Gojyo complained.

"I can't see a thing." Hakkai added in his own complaint.

Hakkai, behind you!" Goku called to them a little too late.

Hakkai turned with arm in air for a punch but Rikudo caught it with ease, "Let him go!" Meika screamed as she slapped him in the face with her staff. Rikudo screamed as the skin on his cheek sizzled where her staff had touched him. It seemed that the holy carvings in Meika's staff reacted negatively to the talisman in his body. He was only hurt for a few seconds before he back handed the Mage, sending her tumbling across the wet ground and landed at Sanzo's feet, who stood of into a nearby building to avoid the rain.. His sudden changes were still over powering Meika making her weak.

"Meika!" Hakkai yelled.

Hakkai's arm began to steam and sizzle, "I wouldn't try that, I could dissolve you by the mere touch of my hand."

"Let go of him prune face! And how dare you hurt my Meika." Goku yelled as he charged with Nyoi-bo ready. Goku was hit with the man's staff as well and knocked him back far more gently. Sanzo grabbed Meika's arm, helping her to stand up and lead against him. "Ugh well don't just stand there." Goku said to Sanzo

"Yes, aren't you going to help your demon friends?" Rikudo taunted Sanzo.

"No, I'm not because you know it doesn't matter very much if I help these guys or not. Believe me they won't die anyway." Sanzo pointed out soundly slightly disappointed by that fact.

Gojyo smirked at the comment, "Ya that's true enough."

"Sanzo, now is not the time to be an asshole." Meika says in his ear so no one else could hear her. She noticed him shiver but blamed it on the fact that they were out in the cold and rain.

"Besides he probably wouldn't be prayer for our souls anyways." Hakkai informed him.

Rikudo became annoyed by the comments, "We'll see about that!"

"Some of our spells are useless against this guy." Goku said with worry in his voice.

"Meika's the strongest of us and she just got shut down like it was nothing." Gojyo comments, "Any of you guys got any bright ideas?"

Hakkai was sarcastic, "Have we tried running away yet?"

Sanzo gripped his gun slightly tighter and he began to walk forwards taking Meika with him. "Shuei, your avenging days are over. You know this is only one way to end this curse."

"No!" Goku yelled making Sanzo stop.

"Get out of my way!" Sanzo yelled at Goku who was standing infront.

"How can you go and kill him like that without thinking. Isn't he your friend?"

Goku and Sanzo stared each other down, "Huh?"

"You make me sick!" Rikudo said as he appeared behind Goku and went to stab him through the back. Eyes widen at the sight that was before them...

Sanzo had jumped in between to protect Goku. Meika screamed as Sanzo's bloody body collapsed into hers making them both fall on the ground. "AAHH! Sanzo, Sanzo!

The rain seemed to pour harder, "Wait... Sanzo..." Goku was sitting on the ground next to Meika who held Sanzo's unconscious body in her lap with his head on her shoulder. "SANZO! Sanzo you gotta wake up! Sanzo, wake up!" Goku cried as the rest of them came over to check on Sanzo. Through Sanzo's eyes he saw Goku, Gojyo and Meika kneeling over him

"Sanzo! Oh God! Don't you close your eyes damn it! Don't you die on me!" Meika screamed as she held him, her sobs breaking her voice.

"You weren't meant to die like this, just hold on man!" Gojyo tried to urge as Sanzo rolled himself out of Meika's lap, bleeding heavily.

Sanzo fell face first to the ground _"At least I know… he can't be redeemed."_ Sanzo thought before passing out

"SANZO!"

* * *

><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: Sanzo! I can't believe he did this to you!... Sanzo! No!... Sanzo!... Sanzo!... SANZO!...

Next time: A Twilight farwell.


	7. Goodnight

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters.

"Thinking"

_"Talking"_

* * *

><p><strong>A Twilight Farewell<strong>

* * *

><p>The rain poured down like a torrent as Sanzo lay on the ground with Rikudo's staff sticking out of his stomach. Meika cradles his head in her lap and cries for him to open his eyes as her tears blend with the rain. Rikudo looks on blankly as Goku screams out Sanzo's name willing him to hear it and wake up.<p>

But no such thing happens.

"SANZO!"

"Don't move him Goku!"

"SANZO!"

"_Kouryuu… I did this with my own hands." _This wasn't Rikudo thinking this, feeling this pain in his heart. No it was Shuei, the part of him thought to be long dead. He let out a horrific scream as the staff sticking out of Sanzo falls to the ground. As if a switch was flipped his screaming stopped and Rikudo turned his head smiling viciously. "Serves you right. That's what you get for betraying your own kind to take the side of demons you weak pathetic priest."

Gojyo and Hakkai carried Sanzo under the awning of the hotel to get him out of the rain and told Meika to stay with him.

Goku stayed where Sanzo had been struck down. His eyes were wide as he fell to his knees finding it harder and harder to breath as the seconds ticked by. Everything seemed to run in slow motion to him as Hakkai and Gojyo asked him what was wrong but he couldn't respond, he probably couldn't hear them over the sound of his beating heart. The one thing that he could hear was the sound of Meika's crying as she held Sanzo's head close to her chest, trying to send her powers into his body but feeling too weak to do it. Goku caught glimpses of a man who looked just like Sanzo except his hair was longer but he knows it's not the priest. If it isn't Sanzo… then who is it?

The boy screamed in agony as his Diadem cracked and fell to the ground and another guttural scream mixed with his own.

"His power limiter…" Hakkai stared in shock.

Gojyo stared right along with him. "It fell off."

Meika looked to the boy that she had come to love as her child feeling helpless. "Goku…"

Goku's ears and nails and hair all grew as his screams continue. Gojyo screamed out for Goku but Hakkai could feel Goku's demonic powers rising and told Gojyo to stay back. "Goku. Is that…?" Gojyo didn't know how to form the words to ask if this was really Goku.

"Yes, it is." Hakkai answered. "Without the limiter he has reverted back to his original form. The creature conceived in a giant stone where the earthly aura's gather. The Great Sage… Goku."

Rikudo laughs as Goku's transformation completes. "At last your true form is revealed. Looks like you're the demons after all." Goku stood there until the mad demon slayer was finished before suddenly disappearing. The next thing anyone knew Goku had Rikudo face down on the ground with a crater around his head and rocks flying everywhere. Rikudo had managed to turn himself around with Goku on top of him. He held Goku's wrists hoping that the pain would make him get up but as his flesh smoked all Goku did was smirk at his pathetic attempt. Rikudo kicked Goku making him fly through the air and land gently on his feet and quickly run at him. He thought talisman would work but the demon ran through them unaffected. _"He's strong enough to resist talisman." _

He didn't stand a chance when Goku sucker punched him to the ground.

Now Goku was on top of him punching the daylights out of him. _"Sanzo once told me that Goku could get a pretty insane, but I had no idea."_ Gojyo thought as he stared at the brutality of the monkey that was no longer there.

"You can be impressed later." Hakkai told him as he tried to close Sanzo's wound. "We've still got a chance to save Sanzo. I think the spear missed his vital organs. We've got to get him out of the rain, inside I may be able to stop the bleeding."

"_Missed his vital organs? So there's still a part of him… that's… still…"_

"I'll find some way to take care of Sanzo. Right now you've got to stop Goku."

Gojyo watched Goku roar in victory after beating Rikudo to a pulp. "Thanks for giving me the easy job."

"Gojyo you have to." Meika says looking up at him. "Goku is unstable like this and if he's left in his true form it could completely take him over and the real Goku will be lost to us forever. And we know what kind of mayhem he can cook up like this."

They were disrupted by Goku's yelling as he ran up to Rikudo and bit a piece out of his shoulder. The rosary around Rikudo's neck started to glow a fiery red color, blinding Goku and the others. It started to emit a shrill bell noise causing Goku to hold his ears and wail in pain before Rikudo pulled out a talisman and disappeared.

It seemed that from nowhere they could hear Rikudo's voice and a shadow form appeared behind Goku. He didn't turn around knowing that there was no one there but stood still listening. "I'm not running. I will return and when you do, all you demons better be ready to feast on my talisman."

Gojyo walked up to Goku calling his name. "Hey. You alright?"

Goku turned on him so quick that Gojyo hardly had time to dodge the punch sent his way. "Get back Gojyo!" Hakkai yelled out. "In this state, he'll strike at anything that moves."

"Now he tells me." Gojyo groans as he dodges another blow from the demon monkey. At the next strike Gojyo grabbed Goku's hand which only pissed him off more as he growled at the red head. "Shit he's not playin' around." Gojyo got angry and stupidly jammed his forearm into Goku's mouth yelling, "Chew on this you freak!" If it hadn't been such a serious situation then Meika would have chastised him for calling her poor baby monkey a freak but she had no time for antics and had to tend to herself and Sanzo, who still hadn't woken up.

Goku bit down harder on the arm in his mouth. "It was just a figure of speech." Gojyo said in pain before punching Goku in the head trying to get him off. "Let go of my arm!"

"Hold him still." Meika looked up at hearing a female voice coming from the sky and gasped when she saw a beam of light falling directly on the two dueling demons. An orb of light floated erratically down towards them before it haloed out and wrapped around Goku's head, who stood almost paralyzed. When the light faded the group saw that his diadem had been replaced and Goku fainted in Gojyo's arms.

Gojyo carried the sleeping boy over to the rest of the group. Behind him came a woman with long black hair in a ponytail and wearing a white dress and a smile. There was also a man behind her wearing a sort of ancient soilder's uniform."You guys are pathetic."

They all stared in shock at the woman. "Wh-who the hell are you?" Hakkai asked being the only one able to snap out of his shock. But the woman just continued smiling and winked at them.

…

They all were back inside the inn. In her weakened state Meika had fallen asleep again to fight off the nausea and was laid out next to Sanzo who was hitched up with his back against a wall. Gojyo still held Goku. The unknown woman stared at them all making Hakkai and Gojyo, the only two of the five man group awake, very agrivated. "Hmph. Your journey has hardly begun and your little gang is in utter chaos."

This only proved to make Gojyo angry. "Hey, where do you get off lady?"

"You!" The man that came along with the strange woman. "Show some respect! You are speaking to the embodiment of benevolence, her highness the Merciful Goddess, one of only five Bodhisattvas who rule the havens." The woman, now known as the Merciful Goddess smiled proudly at her titles.

The two men step back in shock. "She's the Merciful Goddess?"

"You must be responsible for placing on Goku's power limiter."

"Yes that would be me. And that little runt doesn't require any regular coronet either,I might add. Only the gods have the ability to form a limiter out of material that can restrict Goku's powers. Take my advice and keep a close eye on this one." She turned to Sanzo with that same smile on her face. "Now him, he's still a problem I'm afraid. He's taken quite a thrashing."

"He's lost a lot of blood. There isn't much… that I can do for him."

"Maybe not you, but she could." The Goddess points to Meika, who lay sleeping on the ground, and sweat dropped as the girl snored. "If she wasn't… like that. But I got it. Nothing is impossible for me."

She started to do a little dance and song about how she was a powerful goddess and could do whatever she wanted. "Ok. Are Goddess always this sure of themselves?" Hakkai asked the unnamed man.

"Oh boy, just try working for one."

Once her song and jig were done the Merciful Goddess turned her attention on, "You! With the long purple hair and lots of spare blood, get over here! Come on move your ass!"

It seemed that this woman was on a mission to piss Gojyo off. He turned quickly and angrily yelled, "Look here honey! I don't care if you are a Goddess! I don't recall making any vows that say that I have to—"

Gojyo's little speech was cut off by the Goddess's lips and before he knew it she had pulled away licking her lips. "Hmm? Well that will do. All though I have tasted better."

"What's the big idea yo—" Gojyo's could be rant was cut short as he suddenly fell to the ground.

Hakkai called out for him to see if he was ok but the Goddess butted in before the redhead on the floor could answer. "You might want to take it easy. I just sucked out a few prime pints of –AB."

"Don't you need my permission to do that?"

For some reason the Goddess thought she would be getting somewhere if she was to pull Sanzo's hair to make his sit up only to make him groan in pain. "You aren't going to like this Konzen Douji or should I call you Genjyo Sanzo now? Whoever you are if you want to live through the night, you're just going to have to live with it." The Goddess placed her lips on his and transferred the pilfered blood to him. Just as quickly as she did Sanzo raised his left hand and almost smacked her away if she hadn't of moved back in time. When his hand fell it landed palm down on Meika's head, whom was still sleeping close to him.

"Sanzo?" Hakkai questioned. "You're awake!" but alas Sanzo was still sleeping.

"Yes. I-I can see that. It was just an unconscious reaction. My, such strong reflexes though. I can already see he's getting his strength back." Hakkai thanks her as she opens the doors to leave. She stands between the doors with the sun of a new day shinning down on her, her shadow casting a swan with its wings outstretched. "If you want to thank me, give me your body in return. That's all the payment I need. This wasn't about charity. The fact is you're on a very important mission right now and honestly it wouldn't be any fun if you died today." She and her servant stept out of the hotel and into the sunlight "Ta-ta." And the disappear like a mirage.

…

Goku sat in a chair next to Sanzo's bed while Sanzo lay sleeping with his back to the young boy. It seems he had been sitting there for hours before Hakkai steeped in to check on him. "Waiting by the bed won't make him wake any sooner." Goku made no response, he didn't even move. "Won't you at least eat something?"

"Nah. I'm fine." Goku says solemnly.

"You really don't remember what happened to you when your power limiter fell off do you?"

Goku flinches at the memories of what happened before his limiter actually fell off. "I remember the blood gushing from Sanzo's stomach, the sound of Meika crying, then the world turning white and all sorts of ideas started swirling through my head. _Come to think of it… I wonder who that was. He looked like Sanzo but…_" Goku sighs. "I can't remember why I was imprisoned for so long. I had to have done something truly terrible though. I mean why would they lock me away in Mount Gogyou with nothing to do but watch the sky for years and years in some crappy prison cell, until a golden light finally reached out and saved me. He was the ray of sun I've been longing for. Sanzo's always been my savior, even though I could do nothing to save him."

By now Hakkai had taken a chair and sat next to Goku listening to his tale. "Well, I think the one thing you can do for him is to be sure you never let him down. Don't you remember what Sanzo told us? He said that we would never die." Sanzo was awake, and had been since Goku's story. "We should take care not to do anything reckless so that we can see this mission through to the end."

Goku listened to Hakkai's words in awe. "You're right, yeah. Be strong." The sun beamed through the window making their shadows stretch. _"I won't fail you Sanzo. I promise."_

"Sanzo's unconscious, Gojyo's anemic, and you're in a funk. Meika's feeling better so I suppose that's an upside. The only thing left for me to do is cook." Hakkai says knowing that now that Goku is feeling better the 'cooking' part would make him feel even better.

"Hey, that's a great idea! I'll go get the kitchen ready." And like that Goku was cheered up and out of the room.

"What do you know?" Hakkai says watching the door that Goku left through. "Only you and Meika could make Goku that depressed Sanzo. Do me a favor and don't reopen the wound we tried so hard to close. I'd really hate for you and I to be left with the same scars." As Hakkai walked out the door he almost ran into Meika who was trying to come in with a tray of teas. "Hello Meika."

"Hi Hakkai. Just dropping off a tea for Sanzo." He nods and let her pass before going to the kitchen to find Goku. Seeing that there were no nightstands or tables in the room to place his tea on, she just set the tray on the chairs next to his bed. She sighs and sits on the edge of Sanzo's bed. She didn't say anything for a few seconds just stared at the back of his head. "You know I thought… I thought you had died right in front of me last night. I felt kind of helpless, ya know? I don't like feeling like that, especially when it comes to you."

She chuckled a little and wrapped a strand of his hair around her finger. "You probably don't remember that time that you almost fell off a cliff trying to fight off those guys that tried to kill us. I kicked their asses and caught your hand just in time. You called me stupid for trying to help you but I couldn't sit back and watch you die… I still can't." Meika knew that Sanzo was awake even though his eyes were closed when she leaned over to whisper in his ear. "You may not be listening but… I can't go through this without you Sanzo so don't make me cry for you again." She placed a kiss on his cheek and grabbed her tea off the tray and walking to the door. "Oh, and if you ever make Goku that upset again I'm kicking your ass, injured or not." And she was gone.

When she was gone Sanzo was left with his memories of last night, taking the his for Goku, the pain of the staff sticking out of his body, Meika's face as she leaned over his body crying for him to wake up.

He flipped to his back bringing his hand to his face. "This is crazy."

…

It was about afternoon when Sanzo finally got out of bed, loading his gun by the door. His wound twinges with pain when he made the wrong move. "Damnit." He groans pressing gently on his injury.

A knock from the other side of the door made him stop for a second. "Hey droopy-eyes." Gojyo sat on the floor on the other side of the door with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. "I don't suppose you're going after Rikudo are ya? Well if you are just plan on going through the window in there. They told me to keep an eye on you, but who am I to get in your way?"

"Man. I can't get away with anything when you guys are around, huh?"

"With an attitude like that, maybe I should come in there and stop ya." Sanzo clicked the safety off his gun and pointed it to where he suspected Gojyo to be. "Ah, relax. I'm just kidding around. So those prayer beads around Rikudo's neck, would those be yours?"

"So what if they are?"

"I thought so. They lit up as if they were some force field trying to protect him. That necklace is probably what's keeping the last piece of Shuei alive. Once the talisman becomes powerful enough there won't be any Shuei left to save. Well, not that I care what happens to you but the other three tend to get a little sentimental about things, ya know? You're a popular guy Sanzo."

Sanzo scoffs as he turns to go to the window. "Yep, everybody loves me."

"See ya around pal."

…

The sun was maybe an hour from setting when Rikudo went running through the forest. The prayer beads around his neck were glowing brightly as if sensing something and he followed it. When he got to where the beads were being drawn he found Sanzo sitting with his head down, eyes closed and hands in prayer. He had called out to the beads and Rikudo had fallen for his trap. Rikudo was shocked to see that Sanzo was still alive at first before his face gave a wicked grin. "Kouryuu! Well I'll be. You managed to survive. Did you crawl back so I could finish the job?"

"No. I came to kill you with my own two hands."

"I thought as much." Sanzo jumped up with his gun aimed at his onetime friend. "Try and kill me if you can Kouryuu." Sanzo shot at him three times but he disappeared only to reappear behind the priest. "Now you will know some of the suffering I have had to endure, cause you fled the temple like a coward! Revenge!" He tried to hit Sanzo but the blond pistol whipped him and he vanished again.

Sanzo shot into the trees before bringing his gun to his side. "My mistake for thinking you could take care of yourself. What makes you think you'll do any better defending yourself against me? I'm not a demon."

Rikudo laughed behind a tree holding his shoulder where Sanzo had shot him. "I figured it out. I know what the talisman hungers for. Your soul Kouryuu, _your _soul!" The talisman pulsated under Rikudo's skin making Sanzo hold his stomach in pain. "Your aim is off too. That wound I gave you must be aching."

"When you struck it wasn't Goku I was trying to protect. It was another wound that has yet to heal."

"_I'd really hate for you and I to be left with the same scars."_

"_But the other three tend to get a little sentimental about things, ya know?_

"_Yeah. Be strong."_

"_Don't make me cry for you again."_

"_Willing to die for no one." Sanzo thought. "Living for no one but myself. Vowing to never care for someone so much that I couldn't bare to lose them. This is my mantra." _

Sanzo's eyes widen as he hears Rikudo chanting. His gun fell out of his hand to the forest floor and he was unable to move as he fell to the ground too. _"That chant. It's a spell that works on humans as well as. I'm paralyzed!"_

"My, my this is too precious." Rikudo sat over Sanzo with his hands around his throat ready to take his life. "I get to kill you as easy as tearing the wings off a bird. Feel your life slipping away? This is what it's been like since you left. I've waited so long for you to share my nightmare."

"No thanks Shuei. Maybe I left the Kinzan Temple but as for the talisman you carry… you let it control you cause your weak. You're weak!"

Sanzo choked as Rikudo placed pressure on his throat. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I wish your sorry soul had never existed." Rikudo let go of Sanzo and made him able to get away. Rikudo struggled as the veins all over his body became more prominent and found it hard to breath. He screamed in pain as the blood red rosary around his neck started to crack and then shatter. Sanzo realized that the spell of the talisman was too strong for Shuei and what was left of his childhood friend would be consumed in just a matter of moments. "Kouryuu…" Rikudo called as he lay on the ground. He got to his knees and grabbed Sanzo's hand that held his gun and pointed it at his own head. Even in his shock Sanzo knew that Shuei had put in a little fight to push the talismans power back one last time. His hand dropped and Sanzo pulled the trigger.

And Shuei smiled in the end.

…

Sanzo walked out of the woods hearing the words of his master how freedom was about having a home to go to when he found his motley traveling crew waiting in the jeep at the mouth of the trees.

"Anybody looking for a ride?" Gojyo asked.

"Goku held out his hand with a smile. "It'll only cost you ten thousand yen!"

Hakkai and Meika smiled at him too. He let out a short laugh and got in the jeep. "You wouldn't happen to be heading west?" he said throwing his gun to Goku who wasn't expecting it. "I'm crashing. Anyone wakes me up I'll cut their nuts off."

"Guess I don't count." Meika shrugs.

"Haha. Go to sleep.

* * *

><p>"And so our little band of misfits continues their journey to the west. These guys would rather bite their own tongues off than to dance for someone else's team. Some people don't change in 500 years no matter how many times they die, no matter how many times they're reborn."<p>

* * *

><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: He's got a vague way of saying things, and the looks of a snake that's about to strike, and he really pisses me off! He better not mess with me. Who is this fortune teller named Chin-Yisou? Who knows but I hope he's dangerous. Next time on Saiyuki, the death seer. Let's rumble!


	8. Confront

I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy characters.

"Thinking"

_"Talking"_

_**Imagination Sequence**_

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><p><strong><em>The Man Who Foretells Death<em>**

A sandy landscape should be peaceful and tranquil. Well not this one. A large rumbling sound could be heard from miles away and large dust balls waft across the land. Goku stood steady with his weapon ready in hand as a large number of demons, of different size, creed and colors, stood ready to attack. "Where the hell did you guys come from?!"

Gojyo swung his chain around watching as the blade cut through the group of demons surrounding him. "This is getting old fast."

Sanzo kicked one of the demons close to him, making another dirt cloud as the demon landed on the ground. He stood back to back with Hakkai as more demons crowded them. "What is this? Kill one demon, fight four more for free?"

"I'm still waiting for my prize, after all," Hakkai powered up a Chi attack. "We've been at it for three days!" he let it loose into the crowd but they still didn't seem to diminish in numbers.

At the sound of an angry yell from Meika they turned and saw her chasing four male demons with her axe over her head. The demons jumped away when she swung the axe down, creating more dust clouds when it hit the dirt. "Which one of you touched my ass?! I'll kill you all!"

Sanzo and Hakkai smirked watching as Meika attacked and killed her prey. Gojyo walked up next to Hakkai to enjoy the carnage. "Someone out there must be selling demons by the dozen. And you know there's not a single looker in the bunch."

"Hey don't these giveaways usually have free food." Guess who said that.

"If that's the case, this is turning out to be an all you can eat buffet." Hakkai says jokingly.

"Now that's my kind of sale."

"I know." Sanzo says still smirking. "But it is a little much even for you."

Meika appears behind Goku using his head as an arm rest. "No buffet is too much for Goku. But honey you don't want any of this meat." It seemed the demons were coming from miles around and they just kept coming.

"Alright I say we all take ten a piece." Gojyo calculates. That's enough to send them all flying at the crowd before them.

Even though they took down demon after demon just kept coming and it had been a couple more hours into the three days. They all stood with their backs to each other from different angles trying to assess the situation. "You notice anything strange about these guys?" Goku asked.

"You mean the fact that every time we kill them they come back like Zombies." Hakkai mentions in sarcasms.

Yet, Hakkai's sarcasm sent a trail of realization through Meika and Sanzo. "Oh, no freaking way." Meika groans, feeling stupid for not realizing it earlier. All these demons are just reanimated corpses.

Sanzo grabbed his scripture and put his hands together in prayer. "By the power of the scripture, the dead be gone!" he sent out the power of his scripture and it traveled through the crowd of demons, destroying them all. This time they didn't get back up.

"Boy I gotta get me one of those." Goku says with his arms behind his head looking at the part of the scripture that was still in Sanzo's hand while the rest of it laid out everyone on the desert floor.

"Defeating those demonic nitwits is nothing for a scripture of this power."

"Mmhmm."

Hakuryu gave a squeak as he flew by Hakkai with Akiko chasing him. "Shall we go?" Sanzo asked with his eyes closed.

Akiko came flying by this time with the little white dragon following her squeaking. "Ok. Somebody had to be manipulating these guys." Gojyo says with his Shakujou over his shoulder.

Goku turns his head to Sanzo suggesting that it could have been Kougaiji that had sent the Zombies. Sanzo took a moment of thought before mutter "Perhaps.", to himself. Hakuryu gave one last squeal before transforming to his jeep form.

…

They were making their way through the desert now hopping that they wouldn't have to stop again for any rabid demons. Hakkai drove as usual with Sanzo in the passenger seat and Meika between them. Akiko had opted to wrap herself around Gojyo's neck as he and Goku sat in the back of the jeep.

"Hey, Sanzo?" Though Goku had gotten the blonds attention the man didn't turn around. "You know that vest you're always wearing?" Gojyo leans forward in interest.

"What are you talking about?"

"He means the Maten Scripture." Hakkai says happily as Goku leans forward in agreement to the correction.

Goku turns back to Sanzo with his head on top of Meika's looking to the scripture around the blond man's shoulders. "If you don't mind me saying so, that scripture kicks some serious ass. All those Zombie's in on shot. Whoa."

"Yes Goku..." Sanzo said but it was obvious his mind had drifted.

"So Meika, if you have Holy powers too then would you be able to use Sanzo's 'vest'?" Gojyo asks, teasing Goku about calling the Holy Scripture a vest.

Meika turned to look at Gojyo before looking up thoughtfully. "I don't know, I've never tried. And technically my powers aren't Holy."

"What do you mean?" Hakkai asked.

"Holy powers are bestowed upon you much like my title as Sanzo while Meika was born with the magic flowing through her veins." Sanzo explains. He looks at the woman in question from the corner of his eye. "But you are powerful enough that you probably could manipulate the Maten scripture if you wanted to."

She shrugged her shoulders before kicking her feet up. "Maybe, but I doubt that I would ever have a need to do that so it doesn't matter."

Thanks to Goku's low attention span, something in the distance caught his eye and he brought the conversation to an end just to point it out. "Sanzo. Sanzo, take a look at that." They all looked over at whatever it was that Goku was seeing and realized that over the hills of sand were a line of buildings. Goku had found a town. "All that Zombie killing has made me hungry." He said smiling at the thought of finally getting some food.

"If we stop we might run into more of them though." Gojyo says.

Goku turned his head angry that the red head would destroy his dreams of food. "I'm starving."

"Tough shit."

"Look! I'm so hungry I'll eat you if we don't get a burger now!"

"Your damn right you're gonna eat me you little twisted monkey faggot!"

"I'm not the one with girly hair!"

"My hair? My hair? What's wrong with my hair?!" Gojyo yelled back.

Hakkai smiles. "When they get like this I usually just like to go to my happy place." (Goku: "Nothing! But I don't really think purple is your color!")

Sanzo and Meika looked over to his in shock. "Are you really able to tune them out?" The Priest asked.

"Mmm… Nope."

Sanzo ground his teeth together. Meika turned glaring at the two, her eyes completely white and her teeth sharper than a dogs and background turned black with lighting striking. "The both of you better shut up and stop yelling in my ear before you're eating my foot!"

…

The town was alive. People were moving here and there with Venders calling for their attention, Children running between the legs of adults chasing one another, and Goku completely freaking out over all the different food stands around him. "Wooooow! Do you know how long it's been since we've been shopping?"

"I'm actually relaxed." Gojyo says with a smile on his face.

"Good." Sanzo says blandly. He didn't really care about how relaxed Gojyo was just that the fighting on the way into town had stopped.

"I've forgotten what it's like without demons around causing trouble." Hakkai comments.

Meika shakes her head. "You forget we're with a hyper active monkey boy and a chain smoking man whore."

Hakkai looked at the two boys and smiled nervously. "W-well that's true too."

Goku looked off to the side and noticed a stand that displayed meat buns and hopped right over to it. "WOOOOOOOOOOW! Their beautiful." He pretty much looked at them the way Gojyo looked at woman with long legs and a nice bust. "Hey! Sanzo, I want you to buy me some of these!"

"Nuh-uh."

"Why not?! I'm not fasting!"

"Not listening."

"Meika buy these for me!" Goku says throwing his puppy eyes in his face.

"I love you Goku but I've learned not to give into your every whim. Especially after that sugar rush fiasco a couple of years ago."

…

"_**SUUUUUUUGGGGAAAAAAARRRRRR!" Was the sound that could be heard as a hopped up young brunette boy went running through the temple walls… literally through the temple walls leaving holes the size of rhino's.**_

"_**Goku get your ass back here!" Gojyo yells as he, Hakkai, Meika and Sanzo go chasing after him. "Why would you give him that much candy Meika?! You know how he eats!"**_

_**Meika ran, pumping her arms and legs as hard as she could. "I only meant to buy him a little but he pulled the puppy eyes on me and I just couldn't resist." She screamed as a cloth blew back into her face. Taking it off she screamed again when she realized what it was. "Dear god he's taking his clothes off!"**_

"_**Well at least he's burning off all this sugar instead of getting out of shape." Hakkai pants out trying to see the upside.**_

"_**I'm gonna kick your ass after we catch his Meika." Sanzo says with his fan out, waiting for a chance to smack the hair off the little monkey and his mother.**_

"_**I'M SORRY!"**_

…

Gojyo shivered remembering the sight of Goku naked. "That's a side of him I never wanna see again."

"Besides, you're just gonna get hungry and start whining again and then you'll get hit and you'll whine some more." Meika completes knowing the outcome of giving the boy what he wants.

"Ah, just give the kid a meat bun." Hakkai says putting himself on Goku's side for the sake of silence.

"Brats only whine because they know we'll give them what they want." Says Sanzo.

"Well, well, well look at how quickly the droopy eyed Priest has become the second mother around here." Gojyo teased putting and arm on Sanzo's shoulder. "You know if you grow a pair then Meika can go back to being the only mother and then you can be the father."

Sanzo shoves his gun up Gojyo's nose. "You wanna say that again."

"Excuse me gentlemen and fine young lady." A voice calls for their attention. "Over here." A man with blue hair sat at a booth in an ally with Mahjong pieces on the table in front of him. "You all are travelers, yes? Come here." The man smiled through his statements with his hands hidden in the robes he wore. "Sit and I will tell you what awaits you on your journey."

Gojyo watched the man before smugly saying, "Ha, we've got no time to listen to you and your fortunes buddy." And he walked behind Sanzo to get away.

Goku pulled on Sanzo's sleeve still trying to get a meat bun or two from the man. "Can't I have one little bun? One little bun."

"Shut up."

The cackles of the fortune teller brought Gojyo to a halt and his traveling companions' full attention to him. "Tell me now, do you know how closely you walk with death?" He opens his beady eyes and cackles again.

"Hey, mind your own business." Sanzo says irritantly.

"Yes. Yes. No need to answer I see it in your face." The creep told them.

They whole group was on alert now, "Who are you?"

"Death walks especially with you!" Creep said as he raised a boney finger to point at Hakkai, Meika's eyes narrowed looking at the man. There was something odd about his aura, his very presence seemed to be… gone. It was almost as if he wasn't there. She took a step forward and glared at the man. "You can deceive those others with those pretty boy looks but I can see the darkness behind those eyes, sins beyond atonement and a scar... yes! A scar on your belly."

Hakkai's eyes widen as he places a hand on the scar that was on his stomach. There was no possible way that he could know about this. Goku saw the distress in his friend and stepped forward in his aid. "You freak! You're just a con artist!"

"Why young sir I only say this out of concern of your group, Who am I but just a silly man who tells fortunes. Perhaps you would prefer to look at my Mahjong pieces?"

"Mahjong pieces?" Goku was confused.

"Yes, My pieces tell people's fate's. See." He said as he held up a single piece and the black slowly came to the white side of the piece, "Things do not look good for you."

"Hey how did you do that?" Goku demanded.

Meika let out an unimpressed 'Hmph' making the fortune teller look at her. His eyes widen slightly as he sees the look in her eyes. "You know I don't have to look into the future to see what you really are." She leans forward into his face making him back up. "I see you for what you are, darkness, and I know that death walks much closer to you than he ever would with Hakkai. I see past the Mahjong pieces and the hocus pocus into the depths of your very being and… your being is empty." His eyes widen as he stares at the strange woman before him. He had to get away.

But before Meika could expose what the man really was, an explosion made them all look away, "What the...?" Sanzo asked shortly after it.

A row of dust went speeding across the town before it dissipated and showed a giant crab. "Well Goku, looks like you got your wish." Gojyo says with his hands in his pocket. "That's one hell of a meat bun."

Goku looked at the giant creature, "Looks a little tough to me, you try it!"

Sanzo noticed something and pointed up at the beast. "Hey guys look at its breast plate." On its chest was a symbol. "It's Sanskrit."

"It looks like a shikigami." Hakkai clarified.

"He's right. That means that it was created by using black magic to seal an evil script inside its chest."

Gojyo Shrugs. "Whatever it is, it's hardly fair to send something so big. It's just inhumane."

Hakkai looks over to the Fortune Teller's table only to see that his mahjong pieces were still there but the blue haired man had taken the distraction of the giant crab to make his escape. _"Where did he go?"_ Hakkai wondered. _"Maybe he got scared when Meika was about to rat him out and decided to leave while the timing was right. But this shikigami could be one of his."_

"_Is he one of Kougaiji's assassins?" _Sanzo wondered once he also notices that the Fortune Teller was gone._ "Something doesn't fit."_

The crab speeding through the town, knocking over buildings and making the ground shake brought the groups attention back to it.

"Boy he doesn't back." Gojyo says looking at the destruction of the giant crab.

"Whatever should we do?" Sanzo asks sarcastically.

"What we always do." Goku states with the group standing behind him. "Kick its ass!"

Everyone stood ready to take out the charging crab when they noticed someone step in its pathway and it looked to be a girl with tan skin and red hair. She stopped the crab… by punching a giant hole straight through its chest and then it exploded. There was a giant crab carcass sitting in the middle of the wreckage of the town with crab chunks laying everywhere. The girl turned from her work to the group watching her. "Alright! Who wants a piece of me?!" She says pointing to them. "Listen to me you bunch of do gooders. Prepare to meet your doom."

She got into a fighting stance but Sanzo and Gojyo glared at her, while Goku looked wide eyed and confused, and Hakkai continued to smile and Meika rubbed her temples trying to get rid of the head ache that was coming. "I'm not really up for this," Gojyo says. "Why don't you guys take her."

After a second of silence Hakkai says, "Maybe… we should just ignore her."

"Hey Hakkai doesn't she remind you of someone you know?"

"You know, she is a little like Goku."

"Goku you go play with her."

"Ugh! Meika's the one that's good with kids!" Goku says passing the buck onto his mother.

"Just give her food, she'll probably calm down." Meika says.

"I'm not giving her shit." Sanzo says.

"Well Hakkai can give it to her then."

The girl got angry and charged at the group. "You guys aren't taking me seriously! I'm not a little girl." Sanzo grabbed the back of her shirt and let her dangle in the air with her legs up to her chest. "Put me down! Put me down! Let me down!" She screamed before seeing the meat bun in her captor's hand.

"Shut up and eat."

"Ok!"

Gojyo stared in shock while Hakkai scratched his cheek in confusion. Knowing that Goku would throw a fit because Meika handed the boy a bun too and stood next to him as he and the girl munched happily on their snack. "Told you to just give her food." She says with a smirk knowing that she had been right the whole time. Sanzo just stood there

"Oh my." Hakkai says still confused. "He sure is good at taming wild animals."

"Put her down." A familiar voice from above broke the sounds of the two children smacking and made the group look up. Looking up to the very top of a large pile of rubble, that was perhaps a building at one point, they spotted Kougaiji standing with Yaone at one side of him and unknown male on his other side. "Well if it isn't Sanzo!"

"Kougaiji." Sanzo says shocked the man would randomly appear.

"You hand over my little sister right now!"

Hakkai cupped his hands over his mouth to amplify the sound of his voice. "Please, come down and get her! By all means!"

"Yeah! We can't afford another monkey!" Meika yells up to the group of three.

The girl, still in Sanzo's hand, waved behind Hakkai the whole time. "Hey there! Nice to see ya!"

Kougaiji held a hand over his face in embarrassment. "You idiot!" He yelled down at the girl. "Get your ass up here!"

"Oh, so you think you're getting out of here that easily, do ya?!" Goku calls up with his 'I'm-ready-to-fight!' smirk on his face. "I'm waiting!" He calls after getting no reply from the tan skinned demon.

The two demons suddenly disappear only to reappear in the sky. They were fighting so fast and hard that you could barely make out their forms, only blurs of color. Hakkai and Yaone on the other hand… well, it was the most polite fight that anyone had seen.

Sanzo was squatting still holding the young girl while she continued to eat, he too gave a bored sigh as he looked over at the last of their companions. Gojyo flung his sickle at the last of Kougaiji's companions, he allowed the chain of it to wrap around his wrist, "So it looks like it's just you and me, shoulder pad" Gojyo exclaimed with over confidence.

"Gojyo, Huh it is you. You know I wasn't a hundred percent sure until I saw you face to face." He said.

Gojyo was stunned wide eyed as Meika turns to watch the situation and Sanzo listened closer, "It can't be..."

"Yeah." He confirmed Gojyo's thoughts as she snapped the chain with his wrist. Gojyo was silent for a moment, "It is you... brother but why did you come back after all this time? huh?" He demanded.

"Sorry for the late introduction but I'm afraid I've given my allegiance to Lord Kougaiji." He informed Gojyo as he summoned a sword into his hand, "and once I've made a promise, no man, enemy or brother, can ever make me break it!" He exclaimed as he pointed the blade at Gojyo.

"Hm, well that's too bad because I don't break them either!" Gojyo yelled the last part as he charged head on.

So now there was only Sanzo, Meika, and the girl, whose name they had found to be Lirin, sitting and watching the fights. A chill ran through Meika and she looks up to see a figure that she couldn't quite make out, watching the fights. "Sanzo," He looks up to see her looking at something but when he looks, he sees that nothing is there. He turns back to Meika who continued to stare in the same direction. "I think… things may just get worse here."

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><p>Next Saiyuki:<p>

Goku: If you wanna take me on, you can't be distracted thinking about who you're fighting for or what you're protecting. The only way to have strength to defeat me is if you fight for yourself. Hear that Kougaiji? You're gonna need all the help you can get. "Fight Party", on the next Saiyuki.


End file.
